Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Female Gopher Tortoise stares down the Camera

This wild and endangered female gopher tortoise decided to stare down the camera while foraging for plants. She was a good distance from me, and I sat down and assumed a vulnerable pose. She immediately ran towards me, stopped, and continued her stare down, resulting in this photo, before coming close enough for me to simply stick my hand out and touch her (don’t worry; I know I can’t, since she’s endangered). She stopped next to me, and then walked more slowly towards greener pastures

Photo Detail
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: West Palm Beach, Fl, United States of America
Camera: COOLPIX P1000
Copyright: © Erica Steinberg