Gopherus polyphemus
Silhouette: Andrew A. Farke · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~90% in a week >90%
The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The species is native to the Southeastern United States. The gopher tortoise is seen as a keystone species because it digs burrows that provide shelter for at least 360 other animal species. G. polyphemus is threatened by predation and habitat destruction. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species lists the gopher tortoise as "critically endangered," primarily because of habitat fragmentation and loss, and human exploitation; the animals are considered threatened in some states, while they are endangered in others.
The gopher tortoise is placed in the genus Gopherus, which contains the only tortoises native to North America. The gopher tortoise is the state reptile of Georgia and the state tortoise of Florida. Tortoises of the genus Gopherus are so named because of some species' habit of digging large, deep burrows like those of gophers. The specific name, polyphemus, refers to the cave-dwelling giant, Polyphemus, of Greek mythology.
The gopher tortoise is a terrestrial reptile that possesses forefeet that are well adapted for burrowing, and elephantine hind... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zoo Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Birmingham Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | ZooTampa | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Montgomery Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Naples Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Jungle Adventures | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | ZooAmerica | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 13 | Bear Hollow Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | Florida Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 15 | Mote SEA | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 16 | National Aviary | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 17 | SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 18 | Sunken Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 19 | Mote Marine Laboratory | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 20 | North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 21 | South Carolina Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 22 | Tennessee Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 23 | Texas Sealife Center | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 24 | The River Center | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 25 | Aquário da Madeira | 🇵🇹 Portugal | |
| 26 | Butterfly World | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 27 | Jellyfish Museum | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 28 | King House | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 29 | Miami Seaquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 30 | Sea Life Charlotte-Concord | 🇺🇸 United States |
No species of the same family or order lives in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, so these are its closest relatives here: other reptiles.
Likely
About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Gopher Tortoise sighting in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on a given day, based on 1,909 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 35 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May
In that month about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Gopher Tortoise in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on a given day, against about 30% in January, the lowest month.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Gopher Tortoise sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Gopher Tortoise sightings, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge has the highest daily chance: about 50%. Next come Everglades National Park (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Gopher Tortoise is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (1,909 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
