This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act! Join us as we highlight species throughout the year that have benefited from this landmark legislation.

Did you know that we have a native tortoise species in South Carolina? The Gopher tortoise is the only species of tortoise found in the southeast and one of only four tortoise species found in the entire U.S.! They dig large underground burrows that hundreds of other animals use for shelter and protection from predators. Gopher tortoises play an important role in the ecosystem as a keystone species, and this makes the protection of this species critical to the entire food web.

Read more about the Gopher tortoise and efforts to protect this species here.