Saving the Gopher Tortoise

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Saving the Gopher Tortoise
The Green Team
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Purpose

• Relocate - move gopher tortoises to reclaimed
  mined land
• Return restore mined land to its native
  condition

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Reasoning

• We chose
• helping the
• gopher tortoise.

They are a native species to Florida and are
losing their homes because of human activities
such as mining.
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Gopher Tortoises

• Cold blooded reptile
• Long life span, 40-60 years
• Protected by federal endangered species laws

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• Females have flat bottoms
• Males have indention on bottom
• Hatchlings are yellowish
• Adults can grow to be 24cm in size

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Burrows

• Average burrow is 15ft long and 6 ft deep
• Open sandy area in front of the burrow provides
  nest for females eggs
• More than one tortoise can be in a burrow
• Burrow provides shelter from weather and fires

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Burrows and Commensals
Florida Gopher Frog
Florida Mouse lives only in tortoise burrows
Blue-tailed mole skink
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• Burrows Provide Shelter

Burrowing Owls
Rabbits
Indigo Snakes
Armadillos
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Gopher Tortoise Environment

• Scrub habitat
• Long-leaf pine flatwoods surrounded by saw
  palmetto
• Wire grass areas
• Areas with numerous native wildflowers and grasses

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Gopher Tortoises Eat
Flowers Fruits from the prickly pear cactus

• Gopher apples
• Saw palmetto berries

Bones for calcium Low cut grasses
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Range

• South Eastern coast of the United States
• Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama,
  Mississippi
• Pine flatwoods and scrubs

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Threats

• Habitat destruction
• Land fragmentation
• Traffic
• Diseases

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Phosphate Mining Causes Habitat Loss

• Strip-mining has devastated well over 200,000
  acres in the Peace River watershed

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Research shows that gopher tortoises can be
successfully reestablished
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It is Illegal to

• Harass
• Molest
• Damage or
• Destroy their
• habitats

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Our 4Tortoises Fall Under the Rule
Destruction of their Habitat
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Information We Need to Gather to get Our Permit
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Calculate Baseline Density

• Determine the existing (baseline) tortoise
  population on the recipient site (Peace River)

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Determine Vegetation Features

• Average foliage cover of at least 30
• Average canopy cover of 60 or less.

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Verify Enclosure

• Tortoises must be restrained at the new site
  (Peace River) for a minimum period of six months

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Determine Size and Condition of Relocation Site

• Minimum of 40 acres
• Size gt 40 acres lt 200 acres
• Soils must be moderately well
• drained to excessively drained

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Establish Mitigation Contributions

• 200 for first group of 10 burrows
• 300 each additional tortoise
• Cost to relocate our 4tortoises
• 200

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Check Weather Conditions

• gt 50 Fahrenheit
• reduces the chance of
• cold-related stress or
• mortality

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Information from the Professionals
Relocation Process
Mrs. Baker, F .E. D.
Mr. Cook, F.D.E.P.
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Guest Speakers

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Mrs. Baker Teaching Us
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Step 1
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Step 2
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Step 3
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Step 4
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Step 5
Wait and check twice daily
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Step 6
Collapse the burrow after you remove the tortoise
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Disorienting Tank
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Weve Got the FactsNow its Time to Work

• Find the gopher tortoises a new home Peace
  River
• Learn how to use a GPS unit
• Helped rancher apply for the permit
• Wait for acceptable weather
• Move the gopher tortoises using the bucket method
• Re-survey every 2 months

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GPS Lessons

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Flyers
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Gopher Tortoise Game
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