Gophers are rodents about the size of a small gopher that burrow underground. Gophers are often mistaken for moles. Using their teeth, front claws, or a combination of both, gophers act as rototillers under your lawn, golf course or in your fields. Then gophers use their hind feet and a somersault action to push away dirt and rocks that are in the path of their tunnel. Gophers have small ears and small eyes, so their sense of touch must make up for their poor hearing and vision. Their tails and whiskers are very sensitive to touch and assist gophers when they are burrowing through the dark earth. Pocket gophers are capable of swimming, though it is not a common activity for them. Gopher teeth grow constantly; therefore, they have a great need to gnaw in order to keep their teeth ground to a short enough length. Gophers can be anywhere from five to 14 inches long, and their fur color ranges from black to brown to white.
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