On Saturday I had to visit a doctor in order to get medical clearance for my upcoming knee operation. That took a lot longer than I anticipated, so that when I finally got home it was close to noon. Normally I back my car into my driveway because it’s easier for me to pull out than to back out. As a consequence of backing in I have to pay careful attention to not run over or into anything. That’s when I spotted the turtle/tortoise in my front yard, close to the edge of my driveway. I slowed down even more when I spotted the little guy. When I came to a complete stop I ran into the house to grab my camera and headed back outside.

I hadn’t been in the house more than two minutes, but when I came back outside the turtle/tortoise was gone from where I’d first spotted him. I was a bit disappointed he’d left, then I spotted him in the middle of the front yard. I was a bit surprised again, this time that he could move that fast. He had apparently stopped near some of the local Florida “weeds” that he thought were tasty, as he was contentedly munching away when I next spotted him. I managed to grab a few quick photos before he decided he’d had enough of me (everybody it seems hates the family photographer) and went marching off into the bushes in front of my house.

What I have living in my front yard is a Florida gopher tortoise. Because they’re a threatened species I did everything I could not to disturb the little guy, especially not to pick him up or handle him in any way.

I’m really happy to see a little guy like this. He fits in with the black snakes and rabbits that also inhabit my yard, both front and back. I stopped dropping fertilizer and insecticide on my front yard nearly a decade ago. These days I have a push mower that I have sitting fairly high just to keep the grasses down to a reasonable level. The plant the tortoise seemed to be eating isn’t touched by the push mower and grows around quite a bit in my front.

Add in the birds that inhabit my back yard due to the live oak that covers nearly everything that isn’t covered by the small therapy pool, and I have a home filled with life and surrounded by life. The little visit by that little tortoise is probably the best father’s day gift I could have gotten this year.

Links

Gopher Tortoise Program — https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/gopher-tortoise/