IT IS OFFICIAL, THE GOPHER TORTOISE IS LISTED IN FLORIDA AS THREATENED
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Gopher Tortoise Relocation Guidelines
It's the law! The gopher tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus, is listed as a threatened species in Florida. 68A-27.004 (2) The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), the listing status having been revised after June 23, 1999, is hereby declared to be threatened, and shall be afforded the protective provisions specified in this subsection. No person shall take, attempt to take, pursue, hunt, harass, capture, possess, sell or transport any gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) or parts thereof or their eggs, or molest, damage, or destroy gopher tortoise burrows, except as authorized by Commission permit or when complying with Commission approved guidelines for specific actions which may impact gopher tortoises and their burrows. A gopher tortoise burrow is a tunnel with a cross-section that closely approximates the shape of a gopher tortoise. Permits will be issued based upon whether issuance would further management plan goals and objectives.
GOPHER TORTOISE UPLISTED AS THREATENED
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted to uplist the Gopher Tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus, as threatened throughout its range in Florida. That is the good part. However, FWC did not revise the new Management Plan to include proper methods or financing or relocation as the primary conservation tool for the tortoise. This means that current rules are still in effect which do not call for recipient sites to meet any minimal standards, no permanent protection or management of the site or even development in the future are part of the requirements for owners of the site. Meanwhile, efforts to find large landowners willing to take tortoises and relocate them based on what is effective based on current research, are hampered because the financing of perpetual management and conservation easements are still in the air. The FWC has agreed to come back to the Commission with solutions to these and other key components of the plan by the first quarter of 2008. |
