A rescued gopher tortoise arrived at the Nokuse Nature Preserve in Florida’s Panhandle while my sister Erica and I were there. It didn’t know how lucky it was. Across Florida, builders are required to ...

Slow and steady wins the race, but unhurried preservation measures could lead to the Florida gopher tortoises’ demise. “They are these incredible ecosystem engineers,” said Elise Bennett, Florida and ...

Boasting more than 80 distinct ecosystems, Florida is a biodiversity hot spot. In fact, more than 4,000 animal species are native to the Sunshine State. In the heat of summer, a growing number of ...

She’s spent 20 days at Honeymoon Island State Park urging drivers to slow down. It’s working. Max Chesnes is the Tampa Bay Times' environment and climate reporter, covering public lands, water quality ...

TCPalm environment reporter Timothy O'Hara heard about a proposed Indian River County housing development that could wipe out an unprecedented number of gopher tortoise burrows. Beyond compiling ...

Wildlife in Southwest Florida can face an array of challenges in order to survive. Natural predators, hurricanes, vehicles and the constant growth and development taking place that impacts their ...

Tucked away in the back of the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo lies a shaded grassy area where 10 rescued gopher tortoises spend their days grazing and burrowing — unable to return to the wild but safe ...