TRANSCRIPT:
Hello this is Dr. Tom Mullikin with SCDNR for Into the Wild.
In the sandy country of southern South Carolina, you may notice a wide, half-moon-shaped opening disappearing into the ground. That is often the entrance to a gopher tortoise burrow.
A gopher tortoise can dig a tunnel more than 25 feet long, creating a cool, protected space beneath a landscape that can be hot, dry, and frequently burned. Those burrows do more than shelter the tortoise. They may also provide refuge for snakes, frogs, insects, and many other animals.
That is why the gopher tortoise is called a keystone species. Its work changes what is possible for the entire community around it. The next time you cross a sandy pine forest, remember that some of the busiest habitat may be hidden under your feet.