Answer:
The rhetorical device used in the given sentence is a simile.
Step-by-step explanation:
A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things using the words "like" or "as" to create a vivid and imaginative comparison. In this case, the speaker is comparing the disappearance of the gopher tortoise species to the quickness of a Houdini magic trick, emphasizing the rapid decline and potential extinction of the species.