To be built in conjunction with the Alabama Wildlife Federation, the exhibit will be located at the Alabama Nature Center.
Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama announced its support for an interactive gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) exhibit with a $50,000 donation to help construct the exhibit. To be built in conjunction with the Alabama Wildlife Federation, the exhibit will be located at the Alabama Nature Center and with enable thousands of students and visitors to learn about the role the gopher tortoise, a keystone species, plays in its local ecosystem.
“This investment strengthens our long-standing partnership with AWF and will fund a hands-on, crawl-through exhibit inside the Discovery Hall, giving students and families a unique way to explore Alabama’s longleaf pine ecosystem and learn about the importance of conservation,” HMMA wrote on social media.
“Since 2009, HMMA has invested annually in our conservation education work at Alabama Nature Center. Cannot thank them enough for that great history of support. This new investment is a game-changer that will yield a great new addition to our Discovery Hall. It’s a big, big deal!!! Thank you HMMA – proud to call you our friends,” the Alabama Nature Center wrote on social media.
Gopher Tortoise Information
The gopher tortoise is an endangered species in western Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. It is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is considered a keystone species by scientists, due to its burrowing nature, which then helps an estimated 360 other animal species who take advantage of those networks of tunnels. The reptile averages about a foot long and can be found in along the coastal plains of the Southeastern United States, including South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, southern Alabama, Mississippi, and southeastern Louisiana. Gopher tortoises dine primarily on grasses in the wild and can eat beans, corn and most fruit. It is protected throughout its range and requires a permit to keep.
