Day 17 - Tortoise Adventures in the Georgia WIlds

Yesterday I thought there was an armadillo in the middle of the road. When I slowed down not to hit him I realized it was an enormous tortoise. I was so shocked I didn't take a pic of him. Cars were slowing to gawk in both lanes and somebody was going to get hurt because the road was curvy speed limit 55 but people will speed up for the South Carolina bridge across the river.

I called 911 and turned around to get him out of the road. Didn't want him run over and he would have loved our woods. Sandy soil. His fav!! But he was gone. No trace of him. I assume one of the other cars braved traffic and picked him up.

Gopher Tortoise Adventures!

I doubt I will ever forget what he looked like - lot like a Galapagos turtle. Thick legs. Huge head and neck. Standing tall off the highway. Sandy brown smooth shell.

I spent two hours searching for him last nite on Google and the photoes I found that looked like him was a Galapagos turtle which  is huge...5' long and almost extinct so I doubt it was one of those...then I searched on Georgia tortoises and found this guy. The Gopher Tortoise...large but not like a Galapagos.
All he only eats grass and leaves, and burrows in sand. Where I live is within their range from South Florida to mid Georgia and South Carolina west to southern Lousiana.  I hope I see one again sometime...a very cool old guy!!



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