Gopher Tortoise Relocation

Introduction

In 2006 there were an estimated 18,089,888¹ humans calling Florida their home. The state of Florida encompasses over 58,560 miles¹ and is also a prime haven for many wildlife species. With such a large population of both humans and animals there are bound to be a lot of conflicts between groups who see Florida as a construction mecca and those who view it as an environmental treasure.

The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) has not been immune to these seemingly everlasting growing pains. In previous years the gopher tortoise was deemed a species of special concern by the State of Florida. This status acknowledged the tortoise needed some protection, but did little to help protect it. After years of allowing construction to occur in prime gopher tortoise habitat recent analysis has determined that the species is now eligible for protection under the Endangered Species Act with the status of threatened². With this designation, developers must follow strict guidelines and apply for permits to destroy any habitat known to contain them.

Background

The natural history and vital statistics of the gopher tortoise have created a puzzle; both for those who want to develop their habitat and those who want to save them. Gopher tortoises are markedly long lived. Some researchers have listed their lifespan as over 40 years³. Because of this factor, it is hard to predict the consequences of any action on their population.

The long lifespan of this tortoise is accompanied by a long maturity phase. It is estimated that sexual maturity can happen between the ages of nine and 20². Even at the higher age maximum fecundity is not reached. Much evidence points to a link between overall size of the female and the number of eggs produced ⁴. This poses a large problem for researchers because of the time between generations. With these tortoises the changes can not be assessed as quickly and continuous research would need to be conducted over a time span of forty plus years, rather than four or five.

Of great concern to many researchers of chelonians in general has been the presence of Upper Respiratory Tract Disease (URTD) in large numbers of specific populations. This disease is thought to have been introduced by the presence of exotic pets and has spread throughout the gopher tortoise population. This is significant, because it was once thought to be fatal in nearly all cases. If testing of a population indicated that it was infected the entire area could be destroyed without much resistance. New evidence has suggested this was not an effective measure, and new rules guide all decisions based on this disease.

As of July 2007, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC) dropped the regulation that all captured gopher tortoises must be tested for the disease. In a reference sheet⁵ published for use by the public they have indicated that the test cannot differentiate between those tortoises that are active carriers and those that have been exposed and are no longer infected. In addition, young tortoises may carry maternal antibodies that aren’t an accurate indicator of their infection status.

The loss of gopher tortoises has not been restricted to the few years of development boom in Florida. Historically the meat of this tortoise was highly prized by generations of Florida Crackers (regional name for ranching Floridians) and other original settlers. The shell although not particularly ornamental on older tortoises has also been used for everything from decoration to utensils. There are no accurate records to indicate how many tortoises might have inhabited any area of Florida, but records show significant numbers of them being hunted and used throughout the state.

Why worry about the Gopher Tortoise?

The issue at hand, whether tortoises should be protected or not, is a very important one to environmentalists. Gopher tortoises are considered a keystone species⁵ and like many other keystone species their presence helps to dictate the entire ecosystems interactions. Their name, gopher tortoise, comes from the burrowing activity that they engage in. These burrows can be large or small, and have been identified as housing over 360 other species⁶ .They are considered important to soil aeration and drainage through this process as well.⁷ The loss of the gopher tortoise from any Florida ecosystem would most likely lead to the loss of at least several other species. A more emotionally charged reason for protecting the tortoises has been centered around the previously accepted practice of burying or digging through their burrows in order to construct new buildings. This practice resulted in tortoises being buried alive and possibly suffering long agonizing deaths.

The Gopher Tortoise Conflict

The problems that gopher tortoises pose for developers occur because of their habitat. Gopher tortoises use dry upland areas to construct their burrows². Many times this is the property that developers most favor. Before 2007 developers were allowed to apply for an incidental take permit to construct in areas where gopher tortoises were found. This allowed them to effectively bury the tortoises alive and to destroy any habitat that may be supporting them. This was a fast and easy process compared to their options today. Developers actually have several options to deal with this issue according to a new Gopher Tortoise Recovery Plan². According to Chapter 68A - 27.005, FL Administrative Code⁸ land owners and developers now have only four options for dealing with gopher tortoises on their property. There are two categories of permits issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The first is a standard permit for the relocation of five or more gopher tortoises on site or any number off site (greater than two miles away). The requirements indicate that the tortoises may be excavated, captured, and removed to a different area on or offsite, but cannot be harmed in the process. With this permit the applicant may have to also test each tortoise for URTD disease and depending on the outcome adjust their plans for relocation. In many cases relocating the tortoises can be expensive, and if they are placed on state lands the permittee must pay a mitigation fee. The second option is that they can build near and around the burrow if they can maintain a distance of 25 feet or greater. The other options simply involve not developing the property at all. In assessment of these options it is often in the best interest of the developer or landowners to relocate tortoises on site. The cost for the permit is free if moving under five animals and there is no testing required, further reducing the costs. The FFWCC has also published material that will facilitate any land owner in the capture and relocation of tortoises on their property. For larger developers, they may need to contact a qualified person, and the testing and relocation still may come with a large price.

The response to this legislation has been fairly positive. It is seen as being a viable solution for now to help reduce further loss of the tortoises and also allow further development of areas they have inhabited. The problem that exists still is where do we put tortoises that have to be relocated?

Can We Coexist?

Regardless of the historical damages done to the gopher tortoise we have been able to co- exist in many places. Agricultural areas are by far the best representation of this. On the many large ranches that sprawl across Florida the gopher tortoise has been a life long resident. Some ranchers are even opening up their property to become relocation areas.

In other areas, like places where developments are the predominant land use, the gopher tortoise has not had such success. One of the major problems is that gopher tortoises tend to wander away from their home area and directly into roads. Vehicle-tortoise collisions a common site in areas that tortoises inhabit. At the Florida Wildlife Hospital in Melbourne, Florida, this is the primary reason that any tortoise is brought in. A common secondary reason is because of nutritional deficiency. Suburban tortoises, especially the young ones are often seen with this condition. The cause is uncertain but there is speculation that lawn treatment and grass choices have created this problem. The news isn’t all bad for these city slickers. Many people now perceive the tortoise as a treasure, even going so far as to name them and keep track of their activities.

Possible Solutions

The whole problem with the tortoises is different depending on what side of the fence you stand on. Naturalists can easily say that the tortoises are beneficial and should be left in their natural areas. Some land owners, developers and people less interested in preserving wildlife tend to see them as added red tape and expense. In the new guidelines issued⁸, gopher tortoises may now be relocated rather than be allowed to fall under incidental take. One of the main issues regarding this proposal is the issue of availability of land for this purpose of relocating tortoises. Since gopher tortoises are specialized in the type of soil and ecosystem they need and the amount of space required, they can not be removed to just any place. There have been controlled studies to determine the effects of transplantation of tortoises to selected areas. In one study by Small and MacDonald⁴ the relocation of Gopher Tortoises to reclaimed phosphate mines was found to be successful at varying degrees by age. However it was noted that further research is necessary to make a well informed conclusion regarding long term viability of this option. Another study of relocation to islands is also underway, this may be a solution for crowded coastal areas⁹.

Secondary concerns regarding this type of conservation program have involved controlling disease, genetic viability, and what exactly the results of transplantation will be⁴. Disease is more likely to impact any dense population rather than a loosely spaced one. One of the main considerations of placing tortoises in refuges is that the density does not exceed a certain level. Current research has not been able to dependably determine the needed density requirements. The current guildelines issued state 2-3 tortoises per acre depending on habitat. Genetic viability also becomes a factor with this system. Because there are only so many places across Florida that these tortoises will be placed it is unlikely that the populations will cross each other naturally. To address this issue there have been proposals to distribute and even to possibly rotate groups through certain areas.

The Future of Gopher Tortoises in Florida

The future of the tortoises in Florida is in danger. The serious reductions in population numbers and available habitat have created a situation not uncommon to many species in the state of Florida. The tortoises haven’t been studied thoroughly and much research is lacking that is necessary to help protect them. The future of the gopher tortoise in Florida seems to depend on the presence of agriculture and conservation areas as well as tolerance from people who inhabit areas alongside them. With the listing of the tortoises as threatened new responsibilities have been placed on the general population as well as the government in protecting these tortoises. The environmental education of a whole new generation of Floridians may well be the key to their protection.

Final comments

In conclusion of the information presented it seems that the gopher tortoise is going to continue being an issue in Florida for a long time. The future of these tortoises is currently based on the ability of the state and independent researchers to conduct research on this species and conserve areas that will be suitable for relocation if construction is to continue unimpeded by their presence.
Unfortunately, it seems that the high price to locate and remove gopher tortoises may be a problem for many developers who are already paying high fees for biological surveys, permits, and construction. Although this is not an opinion paper, I feel that the most effective way to balance this problem out is to create fines that exceed the value of the tortoise removal process. If it costs less to destroy the turtles illegally and possibly face fines, rather than relocating them, the interest of money may override the interest of preserving the environment.

Ideally, counties, cities, and the State of Florida should be moving towards a greener way of thinking. This would include revitalizing run-down areas, encouraging vacant housing and business areas to be filled, and protecting the green space we have left. Because the state is so impacted by money coming in from development this is probably not going to happen any time soon. So for now, the gopher tortoise has the protection of the endangered species act. Hopefully that’s enough to carry it through to the next decades of more environmentally sensitive Floridians.

References

¹ United States Census Bureau. State and County Quickfacts. Florida. [Internet] August 31, 2007. Available from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/12000.html

² Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Gopher Tortoise Management Plan; September 2007 [internet] Available from http://myfwc.com/imperiledspecies/pdf/GT-Mgmt-Plan.pdf

³Puckett, C. & R. Franz. University of Florida. Gopher Tortoise: A Species in Decline. [Internet] Available from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW048

⁴ Small, C. R. & L.A. Macdonald. Reproduction and Growth in Relocated and Resident Gopher Tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) on Reclaimed Phosphate Mined Lands. Publication No. 03-105-145 Florida Istitute of Phosphate Research. April 2001 [Internet] Available from

http://fipr1.state.fl.us/FIPR/FIPR1.nsf/470e2f6af65c0b0385256b58005ab96f/144700e2adb3cf2d85256b30006a745c/$FILE/03-105-145Final.pdf

⁵ Williams, Angela T. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Memorandum: Affidavit for Blanket Authorization to Test Tortoises for Upper Respiratory Tract Disease. December 10, 2003. [internet] Available from http://myfwc.com/permits/Protected-Wildlife/apps/urtd_info.pdf

⁶ Gopher Tortoise Council. About the Gopher Tortoise[Internet] Available from http://www.gophertortoisecouncil.org/about.php

⁷ United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Fire Effects Information System. Index of Species Information: Gopherus polyphemus [Internet] Available from http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/animals/reptile/gopo/all.html

⁸ Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee. Gopher Tortoise Online Permitting. [Internet] Available from http://myfwc.com/permits/Protected-Wildlife/permits.html#gophertortoise

⁹Science Daily. August 10, 2005. Displaced Gopher Tortoises Might Survive On Islands, Say Researchers. [Internet] Available from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/08/050810134906.htm

By Jamie Drake

Jamie Drake is a full time student, amateur photographer, and serious advocate of conservation of Florida and North American natural resources. Her special interests include the Northern Caracara, Limpkin, and in finding ways for nature to thrive even through the rapid urbanization of Florida.
Visit her websites to learn more: http://www.fieldguideflorida.com