What would you say are some hallmarks of longtime Floridians? As a Florida native, I’d say a love of our plentiful outdoor ...

A gopher tortoise was picked up in Port St. Lucie, when a homeowner found her in their yard painted with nail polish.

A gopher tortoise was picked up in Port St. Lucie, when a homeowner found her in their yard painted with nail polish.

On the other hand, when temperatures fall to the 40s, cold-blooded iguanas slow down. If they happen to be perched in a tree, the cold-stunned iguanas can fall out of the tree.

Upcoming events in Lake County include the Wildlife of Pine Meadows hike Jan. 16 at the Pine Meadows Conservation Area in ...

Gopher tortoises have shovel-like front legs and strong, thick back legs to help them dig intricate burrows, which they can enter and exit easily thanks to their low-profile shells. When these ...

Manatees update: Manatees are Florida’s official marine mammal. They face threats such as habitat loss, watercraft collision, ...

As a threatened species, gopher tortoises are called a keystone species because hundreds of other animals depend on them for their burrows. Both programs are free and open to the public ...

The issue is, nowadays, there are not as many places for gopher tortoises to dig their burrows and make their homes. “They are associated with long-leaf pine ecosystems, which historically in ...

Three years ago, Michigan-based Pulte Homes pleaded guilty to 22 counts of destroying gopher tortoise burrows in Marion County. Killed a couple, too. The penalty: a fine of about $13,700. Pulte was ...