Photos

This little guy was waiting for me at the back door this morning. I had to move him to safety before I let my dogs out for their morning romp.

Here is some information from the Texas Parks and wildlife site: The Texas tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri). Its range extends from South-Central Texas in the United States southward into the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas. Related fossil forms in this genus have been found in the Pliocene in Central Texas. The Pliocene is considered as dating back to 10 million years B.C.

About one and 1 1/2 inches long (and wide) at hatching, this turtle will normally grow to have a shell length of about 8 1/2 inches. Although the life span is unknown, it is thought by some that breeding age is attained in about 15 years and that longevity may be as great as 60 years.

Although captive specimens have been known to eat meat, these very docile creatures are primarily vegetarian. They feed heavily on the fruit of the common prickly pear and on other mostly succulent plants available to them.

A low reproductive rate, historic heavy exploitation by pet suppliers, and other factors have led to a severe population decline of the species. This has resulted in its being listed in 1977 as a protected nongame (threatened) species, thus affording protection from being taken, possessed, transported, exported, sold, or offered for sale.

Features which help in identifying the Texas tortoise are the yellowish-orange, "horned" colored scutes (plates) on the carapace (upper shell) and the elongated, notched gular (throat) scute on the plastron (lower shell). The hind legs are cylindrical and columnar, like those of an elephant.