gopher tortoise

noun

1. any North American burrowing tortoise of the genus Gopherus, especially G. polyphemus, of the southeastern U.S.: several species are now reduced in number.

Word History and Origins

Origin of gopher tortoise¹

First recorded in 1785–95; gopher ¹

Example Sentences

In fact, the gopher tortoises of the southeastern US are considered a keystone species due to the hundreds of other animals who take shelter in their abandoned burrows.

From Popular-Science