Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – April 10 is now officially recognized as Gopher Tortoise Day, thanks to the Gopher Tortoise Council. The day aims to raise awareness about the importance of these threatened reptiles.

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is encouraging communities to adopt their own Gopher Tortoise Day. The goal is to protect and support the tortoises and their environment.

The gopher tortoise plays a big role in its ecosystem. It digs large burrows that provide homes for more than 360 other species. These animals include the gopher frog, Eastern indigo snake, beetles and crickets.

Because of its important role, the gopher tortoise is called a keystone species. If the tortoise disappears, many other animals may be at risk of vanishing too.

In Alabama, gopher tortoises are found in the southern third of the state. They live in 23 counties and are often seen in neighborhoods, roadsides and public lands.

Gopher tortoises are protected by both state and federal laws. They are gentle, long-living reptiles that are threatened by habitat loss and human activity. 

Gopher tortoises can live 40 to 60 years in the wild, and in some cases, they’ve been known to live more than 80 years in captivity or protected environments. Their long lifespan, combined with a slow reproductive rate, makes their survival especially dependent on habitat protection and reduced human disturbance.

The 6,150 acre Gulf State Park is a safe haven for gopher tortoises living in the Orange Beach and Gulf Shores area. Its sandy ground helps them build deep burrows, and natural food is easy to find. Scientists and rangers regularly observe them to support conservation.

Visitors can join in a fun and educational event at Gulf State Park on Saturday, April 12, 2025, to celebrate Gopher Tortoise Day. Held from 9 a.m. to noon at the Lookout Structure on Rosemary Dunes Trail, the event will feature live animal ambassadors, burrow scoping, a kid-sized tortoise burrow, and more. Guests can learn why Alabama’s only native tortoise is so important to the ecosystem and find out how to help protect it. A shuttle from the Rosemary Dunes Parking Lot will be available for those who can’t hike or bike to the site.

Residents can help by sharing facts, or spreading the word in schools and neighborhoods about the importance of the gopher tortoises in our environment. The more people who know about the tortoise, the more chances it has to survive.