[5][6][7] Tortoises of the genus Gopherus are so named because of some species' habit of digging large, deep burrows like those of gophers.

[14][15] In addition, gopher tortoises eat flowers from the genera Cnidoscolus (nettles), Tillandsia (Spanish and ball moss), Richardia, and Dyschoriste.

[17] A very small portion of the tortoises' diet is composed of fungi, lichens, carrion, bones, insects, and feces, eaten more commonly by females before and after nesting time.

[14][20] The burrows are especially common in longleaf pine savannas, where the tortoises are the primary grazers, playing an essential role in their ecosystem.

[citation needed] The gopher tortoise reaches maturity at approximately 10–15 years of age, when their shells are around 9 inches (23 cm) long.

[31] Females may lay clutches of 3–14 eggs,[31] depending on body size, in a sandy mound very close to the entrance of their burrow.

While primarily solitary creatures, gopher tortoises live in well-defined colonies which are similar to those of highly social animals such as the prairie dog.

Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has listed Gopherus polyphemus as "Threatened" wherever the tortoises are found west of the Mobile and Tombigbee Rivers in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

[37] In October 2022, the USFWS announced that the species overall and its eastern distinct population segment (DPS) did not warrant listing at that time.

[1] In July 2011, the USFWS determined that listing the eastern population of the tortoise as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act is warranted, however, it is precluded from doing so at this time due to higher priority actions and a lack of sufficient funds to commence proposed rule development.

[39] In 2018, the IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group recommended a re-assessment and re-classification of all six Gopherus species[40] This reclassification would move G. polyphemus from Vulnerable (VU) to Endangered (EN).

[45] In Mississippi, along State Route 63, chain link fences were built to prevent gopher tortoise mortality from traffic.

[46] On July 27, 2016, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issued a warning to residents and visitors to the state not to paint the shell of a gopher tortoise, as the paint can hinder their ability to absorb vitamins they need from the sun, cause respiratory problems, allow toxic chemicals into the bloodstream, and other harmful effects.

Additionally, gopher tortoise burrows may benefit plant life by exposing mineral soil favorable for germination.

[51] A number of other species also prey upon gopher tortoises, including the raccoon, which is the primary egg and hatchling predator, gray foxes, striped skunks, nine-banded armadillos, dogs, and snakes.

On July 31, 2007, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission implemented new permitting rules requiring developers to relocate tortoises.

[53] Starting on April 22, 2009, three types of permits were available in Florida for developers wishing to build on gopher tortoise habitat.

There have many anthropogenic disturbances to gopher tortoise habitat, such as fire regimes to maintain healthy ecosystems, meaning this may disrupt potential vegetation that is essential to their diet.

However, this also means that they are threatened by human activity causing these tortoises to be subject to sea level rise and irregular and intense hurricane patterns.

[54] As a result of these storms, tortoises have been moving up in elevation and residing in abandoned burrows that are deeper in order be protected from the hurricanes.

[55] This increase in storms may cause a range shift to higher elevation which may result in more human contact, which may reduce their populations over time.

[15] Climate change poses another challenge for the gopher tortoise through alteration of habitat, but they are adapting by way of natural selection.

Invasive species can cause habitat fragmentation and increase stress to gopher tortoises and other native animals.

However, in recent years, habitat loss is increasing as southern states continue to experience human population growth, and expand on highway road construction.

[45] Longleaf pine forests include abundant low herbaceous plant growth and open canopy/space for tortoise's eggs to incubate.

[63] Gopher tortoises are known to contract upper respiratory tract diseases (URTDs) caused by various microorganisms, including the bacterium Mycoplasma agassizii and iridovirus and herpes viruses.

There was a study that found that 14 out of 35 Florida gopher tortoises tested positive for a bacteria called, provisionally, "Candidatus Anaplasma testudinis".

This then becomes a pressing issue in terms of the conservation efforts put forward to decrease the likelihood of this disease affecting the population counts.

More diagnostic tests are necessary to ensure the effective diagnosis and treatment of wild gopher tortoises, as well as a method for the identification and removal of the potential biological vectors.

[19] The longleaf pine ecosystem provides extreme conditions such as "nutrient" deprived soil and "sandy sites" for gopher's habitation.