Need tortoise ID

[chemgrl08]

Hello all, I need a favor. A friend of mine found a tortoise crawling on the road in her suburban neighborhood, and we're trying to identify what kind it is. I advised my friend to just move it off the road and let it be, but it seems her family did not feel comfortable letting it crawl around amidst so many roads with busy traffic. I am worried that it might be a Gopher Tortoise, which is an endangered species (to my knowledge.) We want to find a good place to let it go (if its a wild animal) or find an appropriate rescue if it is an escaped/released pet species. I think the little guy shouldn't have been moved, but what's done is done. Plus, there was really a lot of traffic in the area. If its a pet species (Russian tortoise, for ex.) I would be concerned.
This animal was found in southern Florida, pictures attached. He is about a foot long from tail to head on the carapace. Let me know if you need any other info. Thanks all.

 

[Tim Robin]

I would bet it is a Gopher tortoise, native to Florida. I can tell you for certain it is not a Russian, Greek, Hermanns, or Sulcata. I would suggest they contact local fish and game about relocating it. Or simply let it go near where they found it.

 

[FrogEyes]

Looks like a gopher tortoise to me. Certainly not a steppe [Russian], though you express the same concern as I have, that in FL you never know what species could show up. However, most of the exotic tortoises I can think of have distinctive colors or shell shapes compared to this one.

 

[Alejandro]

Yes, Gopherus polyphemus (gopher tortoise).