11K views · 287 reactions | Gopher tortoises are ecosystem engineers...

Yesterday we celebrated National Gopher Tortoise Day with our very own Dolly the Gopher Tortoise. Gopher tortoises get their name from their ability to dig deep burrows, which average about 15 feet long and 6.5 feet deep. They are considered a keystone species, meaning they are vital to the survival of an ecosystem, because their burrows are utilized by many other animals in their ecosystem. Hundreds of species use these burrows as shelter from predators and wildfires. Gopher Tortoise Day is mea