Gopher Turtles Central Florida (Gopherus polyphemus)

This turtle has dug in on our property. He is not afraid of me, visits my gardens stealing vegetable leaves often. These turtles holes when they leave are benificial to scub jays and blue indigo snakes that may use the hole in the turtles absence. He leaves up to 2 weeks at a time and returns. One problem, we see t.by footprint I.D. that Cyotes patrol here and are intrigued by his mound and hole habitat. Hoping they are only curious. These turtles are highly protected here in Florida by law.