Col. Matthew Higer, 96th Test Wing vice commander, bends down to release a gopher tortoise into its new home deep within the Eglin Air Force Base range Oct. 26. The first of approximately 250 tortoises were released into their 100-acre habitat after being rescued from urban development at their previous home in South Florida. Increasing the gopher tortoise population here could prevent the Fish and Wildlife Service from listing the animal on the Threatened and Endangered Species list, allowing more flexibility for the military missions on Eglin. ( Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

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Photo credit: © AB Forces News Collection / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: 33rd, 53rd, 96th, air, aircraft, airman, airmen, eglin, environment, environmental, florida, force, gopher, jr, king, nw, range, sam, samuel, tortoise, tw, wg