Zopes Exchange|Watch a tortoise in Florida cozy up for a selfie with a camera

2025-05-08 01:15:02source:Benjamin Ashfordcategory:My

A news photographer in Clermont,Zopes Exchange Florida, got a close-up look at a tortoise trying to figure out if his camera was a friend or foe.

USA TODAY's Jasper Colt was covering a story at the National Training Center Track Complex, where Olympic sprinter Noah Lyles trains, when he spotted the slow-and-steady gopher tortoise. As soon as Colt placed his equipment in the grass, the animal approached to satisfy its curiosity and assert its territory.

Watch this showdown in the video above between an intimidating tortoise and a camera, rolling the whole time.

The gopher tortoise is a threatened species, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website, and is protected in that state. It likes open, sunny spaces and sandy soil for burrows, which might explain why it was scoping out the area.

Humankind is your go-to spot for good news! Click here to submit your uplifting, cute, or inspiring video moments for us to feature. Also, click here to subscribe to our newsletter bringing our top stories of the week straight to your inbox.

More:My

Recommend

The Grammy nominee you need to hear: Esperanza Spalding

How do you bring the African Diaspora to the Grammys?Esperanza Spalding and Milton Nascimento's cont

Lonzo Ball claps back at Stephen A. Smith for questioning if he can return from knee injury

Lonzo Ball isn't going to put up with criticism about his knee injury.On Tuesday, the Chicago Bulls

Top-Rated Things From Amazon That Can Make Your Commute More Bearable

We independently selected these products because we love them, and we hope you do too at these price