The gopher tortoise, commonly called “gopher turtle”, “gopher”, and sometimes even “Hoover chicken”, thrives within this natural corridor. Thousands have been removed from the surrounding area for urbanization by the city. The ones that are missed during removal have to go somewhere else.
The rate of gopher removal south of highway 50 has been breathtaking. Note that no permits have been issued within the East Johns Lake Road corridor. It is illegal to disturb the gophers without a permit.
Official FWC maps of gopher removal permits can be found here
I have had a breeding pair for decades. They are territorial. The ones here get quite large, and I have read that they live 90 years or more. They need lots of space, like the bluebirds. They love to eat the local cactus shoots and succulent weeds.
more soon