Click to read more about the critical gopher tortoise conservation being done across the species' range in our 2024 state and committee report summaries.

Alabama

The gopher tortoise is an inhabitant of coastal plain counties of Alabama. Populations fall under two spheres of protection, federal and state. Within the western portion of its range in Mobile, Washington, and Choctaw counties the turtle has been listed as a federally threatened species since 1987. In the remainder of its eastern range in Alabama the turtle is protected by state regulation. 

DWFF continues work towards determining a more accurate gopher tortoise population estimate and distribution in Alabama. In Alabama, roughly ninety-five percent of the gopher tortoise habitat is in private ownership. The remaining percentage of land holdings are owned by state or federal agencies. Private land surveys are needed to determine accurate gopher tortoise population estimate and distribution in Alabama. Ongoing efforts continue with private landowners by conducting site visits and discussing gopher tortoise habitat and conservation goals.  

Calls have increased relating to gopher tortoise impacts from solar and commercial / residential development originating from both the state protected and federally listed portion of the range. DWFF collaborates with landowners, agencies, utilities (solar, gas, power), developers and consultants to find solutions to gopher tortoise issues. When leaving the animal(s) in place is not an option, relocation to permanently protected public lands is considered. In August, DWFF worked with D.R. Horton Homes in Baldwin County to relocate 50 gopher tortoises from the subdivision footprint. DWFF assisted Horton Homes wildlife consultant with the removal of the animals from the development site and relocating them to a Wildlife Management Area (WMA) with a low-density gopher tortoise population. The developer constructed the 23-acre enclosure on the WMA (2 gopher tortoises per acre). Tortoises will stay in the enclosure for 12 months after which the barrier will be removed, and the animals will be free to disperse. 

There were no waif tortoises this fiscal year. Three tortoises were confiscated by DWFF law enforcement. These animals were evaluated by a rehabilitator and deemed healthy for release. The animals were released into the waif enclosure and will be penned for 12 months. Targeted relocation efforts are on the rise due to a variety of increased development pressures in Pike, Henry, Houston, Dale, Geneva, Covington, Escambia, Baldwin, and Mobile counties. DWFF staff consulted with the USFWS Gopher Tortoise State Lead and team multiple times regarding a railroad expansion project in the listed range where the landowner was requesting a take permit. During the site visit we discovered the largest known population of gopher tortoises in the AL listed range (~86 burrows of all age classes). Tortoise habitat was poor quality as the animals were confined to living on the utility right of ways, flanked on two sides by roads (state highway and a county road), cogongrass was present on the right of ways along with many fire ant mounds, and additional potential habitat was removed and developed. The animals related to the take permit were removed from the site by excavator and taken to Westervelt mitigation bank in Mississippi. 

State regulation only precludes the direct killing or possession of the gopher tortoise and unlike the federal regulation, does not consider the gopher tortoise burrow or the degradation of the habitat surrounding the animal. Landowners and/or developers in the unlisted federal range likely realize they are less constrained by the presence of gopher tortoises and simply work around the animals. DWFF staff annually pursues a regulation that would protect the intentional destruction of a gopher tortoise burrows however it has not yet passed.

Florida

Archbold Biological Station – Betsie Rothermel

In collaboration with Chris Searcy’s lab at University of Miami, we recently published results of an 18-month study of immature gopher tortoise growth and survival in habitats with different forage resources, specifically native sandhill versus grass-dominated ruderal habitat. As part of this study, we produced survival estimates for younger age classes and explored use of drone-acquired imagery to assess forage availability. By explicitly linking quantifiable measures of habitat quality with demographic outcomes for juveniles/subadults, these findings may be useful for future population modeling and management efforts. For another recent publication, we analyzed data from extensive LTDS surveys at Avon Park Air Force Range, which yielded habitat-specific tortoise density estimates across a range of xeric to mesic natural communities. Based on our surveys, we estimate this large military installation harbors a significant population of roughly 9,000 subadult and adult tortoises, with tortoises occurring at relatively high density in scrub communities (~0.95/ha), intermediate densities in pine flatwoods (~0.73/ha) and pine plantations (~0.44/ha), and very low density in prairies (0.18/ha).  

Jeff Goessling – Eckerd College 

We continue to conduct research at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, where we have had a major coyote-depredation event of tortoises. Recently, a similar thing has been brought to our attention as potentially happening at Marco Island and I would like to see the GTC membership/FWC take a more serious look at depredation of tortoises by coyotes, which are an invasive species in Florida and pose a serious threat to otherwise viable tortoise populations. We are currently tracking 30 adult tortoises with satellite radios at Boyd Hill. Other research involves wrapping up a population genetics study along the western Gulf Coast from Anclote Key to Marco Island. We recently published several papers from Boyd Hill gopher tortoises, including a study on interactions between home range and tortoise physiology as well as a study on social networks in gopher tortoises. 

Kim Sash – Tall Timbers Research Station

Understanding the baseline prevalence of important pathogens in gopher tortoise populations before they receive translocated tortoises is a necessary step to monitor disease risks during translocations. To investigate pathogen prevalence, we implemented seasonal gopher tortoise trapping and pathogen sampling on seven properties within the Red Hills of north Florida and south Georgia, with some being candidate populations to receive translocated tortoises. Results indicate that resident wild tortoise populations in this region have been exposed to known pathogens Mycoplasmopsis agassizii, Helicobacter sp., and Terrapene adenovirus as well as a previously undocumented pathogen of tortoises: Leptospira spp. 

Lora Smith – The Jones Center

There is a need to assess the range of naturally occurring gopher tortoise densities to inform stocking densities and habitat management goals at recipient sites for translocations. We used tortoise survey data from Florida conservation lands, and two metrics of habitat condition, depth to water table and canopy cover, to predict densities for individual land cover types using a hierarchical distance sampling model. Densities increased with increasing depth to the water table and decreased with increasing canopy cover. Among land cover types, coastal strand, sandhill, coastal grassland, and coniferous plantation had the highest tortoise densities (>1 tortoise/ha). Mesic flatwoods, xeric hammock, and upland pine had the lowest densities (<0.3 tortoises/ha).

Nokuse - Matthew J. Aresco, Derek Breakfield, Charli Morgan 

Translocated tortoises to recipient sites at a new, self-imposed density of 1.5 tortoises/acre to enhance tortoise acclimation and increase survival. Expanded monitoring within and around new and former tortoise relocation sites to better understand survivorship, causes of mortality, dispersal, and long-term success of translocation. Working on a pilot study to use RFID tags as a secondary method to individually identify released tortoises to increase monitoring effectiveness and reduce stress by removing the need for trapping and handling. Habitat restoration through ongoing land management (2024: 1039 acres of longleaf pine thinning and 9553 acres of prescribed fire). Created a new land trust, Nokuse Land Conservancy, that will operate in the Florida Panhandle/southern Alabama region and purchase land and conservation easements. Nokuse continues to advocate for the conservation of gopher tortoises and their habitat through legislation, legal challenges, research, and partnerships.  

Virginia Tech/Nokuse – Kevin Loope & Elizabeth Hunter

This year we wrapped up our FWC-funded project on survival and reproduction of translocated tortoises at Nokuse (with results presented here on Saturday).  We also secured additional FWC funding to extend our collaboration with a new project on pathogens and genetic diversity in translocated tortoises.  We have several new papers published and in press highlighting management-relevant results, including how geographic origin, outbreeding depression, release density, release season, and social composition of release pens influence survival or reproduction at Nokuse.  

Wildlands Conservation – Eric Sievers and Neal Halstead

The Protect the Gopher Tortoise License Plate has officially reached 3,000 pre-sale voucher sign-ups! Now that we’ve reached this milestone, we are submitting the pre-sale data to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) for production. The manufacturing process may take approximately 6 months before your specialty plates will be available at local Florida DMV offices. Pre-sale vouchers can still be purchased during this period. Wildlands Conservation will use and distribute the funds to eligible Florida-based scientific, conservation, and educational organizations for gopher tortoise, commensal species, and upland habitat research, conservation, and management through a grants program.

Wildlands has completed the first year of a two-year outreach program funded by FWC to help reduce the incidence of Disturbed Site permits (where potential take of gopher tortoises/burrows/habitat has occurred without securing the necessary FWC relocation permits first). The first year of this project involved outreach to staff of local governments throughout Florida to identify perceived barriers to compliance with the permitting guidelines. Wildlands is now in the process of developing a statewide GIS model (primarily from existing species distribution models for the gopher tortoise) to provide a publicly available resource that will help local government staff flag parcels where gopher tortoise burrow surveys should be conducted prior to issuing permits for site clearing or development.

 

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is currently revising the Gopher Tortoise Management Plan that will guide tortoise conservation in Florida through 2034. This plan revision will be brought to the FWC’s Commission for approval in December 2024. 

Florida continues efforts to conduct population surveys for tortoises across the state. Over 100 line transect distance sampling (LTDS) surveys have been conducted within Florida since 2014. Last year, 8 conservation lands received an LTDS survey, of which 6 met criteria for a viable population.

Within the last year, FWC’s Habitat Management Assistance Funding program provided over $65,000 to assist local governments with gopher tortoise habitat management activities on more than 140 acres of their conservation lands.

To promote actionable science, FWC funds scientific research and outreach activities on an annual basis. To learn more, visit the Call for Research and Outreach Proposals webpage. To be considered for funding, submit a proposal by April 15, 2025. This year, two projects were selected for funding: 

• Geographic predictors of pathogen presence and individual genetic diversity, and their post-translocation consequences for gopher tortoises, submitted by Dr. Kevin Loope, Virginia Tech
• Assessing trauma, road mortality and decomposition in gopher tortoises from east Florida, submitted by Megan Stolen, Blue World Research Institute 

As of the end of June 2024, 89 recipient sites with an available capacity of >23,000 tortoises are permitted. Within the last year, just over 8,000 tortoises were relocated under FWC-issued permits. Also within the last year, FWC has added perpetual easements on >3,300 acres of suitable gopher tortoise habitat, and short-term (30-50 year) easements on approximately 1,200 acres of suitable tortoise habitat within recipient sites. 

Georgia

Georgia’s Gopher Tortoise Conservation Initiative (GTCI) has protected 64 minimum viable populations, just one shy of the goal of 65. Number 65 is expected to close this FY. 

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA DNR) completed a resurvey of Townsend Wildlife Management Area (WMA) as well as a first survey of Lanahassee Creek WMA, bringing the total number of surveyed sites in Georgia to 124. Lanahassee Creek is the release site for juvenile gopher tortoises head-started at the USFWS’s Warm Spring National Fish Hatchery. During the survey, hatchling gopher tortoises were detected, and one head-started gopher tortoise released in 2022 was detected in March 2024 still using the original burrow it had been released into. 

In its 4th year, the GTCI Fire Crew completed 46 prescribed fire operations to burn 5,767 acres across the Coastal Plain of Georgia in 2024. The crew continues to lead and assist on burns on high priority WMAs, State Parks, and private lands within the range of the Gopher Tortoise.

 

This year has continued to see more proposed utility-scale solar installations in the range of the tortoise. In July, version 2.0 of the Recommended Practices for the Responsible Siting and Design of Solar Development in Georgia was released. This is a solar-specific document developed by US FWS, GA DNR, GA EPD, TNC, and others to provide guidance on Geogia-specific natural resources, including gopher tortoises.

Tall Timbers Research Station is continuing pathogen testing on gopher tortoises in the Red Hills region of Georgia with Deanna Riente presenting findings at this year’s GTC Annual Meeting.

UGA Marine Extension is continues research and monitoring efforts on translocated gopher tortoises at heavy mineral mines along the GA coast and recently began working with the solar industry on research, monitoring, avoidance, minimization, and translocation in regard to gopher tortoises in Georgia.

The Jones Center at Ichauway is engaged in a striped newt reintroduction project in partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, the University of Georgia (UGA), and Tall Timbers Research Station. To date, more than 300 captive-bred striped newts have been released among three high-quality wetlands at Ichauway. The effort is being studied but UGA MS student Jade Samples.

The gopher frog head-starting program in Georgia continues between GA DNR, UGA, USFWS, and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. This year, releases have focused on Alapaha River WMA and Townsend WMA. During survey efforts for gopher frogs at Ceylon WMA this year, numerous metamorphic gopher frogs were detected, indicating a significant breeding event last winter.

Louisiana

 

Through the cooperation of Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), University of New Orleans (UNO), Weyerhaeuser Company, and a private landowner, three gopher tortoise nests were collected and transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery in Natchitoches, LA to initiate a head-start program. Out of a total of 20 eggs, only four hatched with one hatchling exhibiting a deformed carapace and died shortly after. Most of the eggs that did not hatch were believed to be unfertilized. The three hatchlings will be head-started for 3-4 years before being released at Sandy Hollow Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Tangipahoa Parish, LA.

 

A high percentage of unfertilized eggs has also been observed in Mississippi. Camera traps were set up on burrows at Sandy Hollow WMA and Ben’s Creek (Weyerhaeuser Company; Washington Parish) in  2024 to record mating attempts. Images revealed a lower number of successful mating attempts at the two sites in Louisiana compared to similar studies done in other states. We believe that there is a correlation between the low number of successful mating attempts and the high number of unfertilized eggs. During the 2025 field season, we will continue to collect eggs for Louisiana’s head-start program and record mating attempts. Future efforts also include a 20-year follow up study on health surveillance of Louisiana’s gopher tortoises in partnership with the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, and a consolidation project for efforts to establish the first minimum viable population within the state.

Mississippi

Mississippi’s head-start program efforts have continued with 116 tortoises released at Camp Shelby Air National Guard by the Nature Conservancy (TNC). A total of 77 eggs were collected from 14 nests, 40 of which hatched (51.6% hatch rate). TNC currently has 43 hatchlings, 40 two year olds, 2 wild six year olds, and 20 six year olds (total 105 tortoises). A genetics project in collaboration with University of Southern Mississippi was begun to determine if released head-started tortoises are breeding. TNC outreach and education was provided for 534 people. 

The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) released their first head-started cohort (40 tortoises) from Natchitoches National Fish hatchery on to Desoto National Forest land. 20 of these tortoises were fitted with radio transmitters and will be tracked for 24 months. FWS will continue releases on an annual basis moving forward and will be increasing their incubation capacity for 2025 with extra incubators loaned from TNC. 26 adult, juvenile, and/or hatchling solitary tortoises were trapped and relocated to temporary holding pens in priority management units on the Desoto National Forest. 

The multi-agency effort to survey on Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge was completed in Spring 2024 and documented a small but viable population. Chickasawhay Gopher Tortoise Conservation Bank translocated 6 adult and subadult tortoises from a permitted project in Mobile County Alabama. 5 juvenile and hatchling tortoises from this project were transferred to the TNC Camp Shelby head-start facility. 

South Carolina

Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve (AGTHP)

• Waif and headstart tortoises continue to be released at the AGTHP. A Memorandum of Agreement with Florida FWC has largely facilitated restocking with waifs. This year we added 50 waifs and 67 one and two-year old headstarts and currently estimate 200 adults on the property (headstarting support from Longleaf Alliance to Savannah River Ecology Lab)
• Constructed two new 1-hectare circular soft release pens for waifs and electrified smaller sections to protect headstarts from predators.
• 652 acres of the AGTHP uplands were commercially thinned to improve habitat. Of that, ~500 acres were thinned to ~10 trees/acre (retaining the largest/oldest trees and removing regenerating pines) to increase the abundance and diversity of native ground cover.
• Aiken Land Conservancy purchased ~300 acres adjacent to the AGTHP and increased the total property size to ~2000 acres, most of which has suitable soils for gopher tortoises.

 

Tillman Sand Ridge Heritage Preserve (TSRHP)

• About 130 acres of restored habitat (thinned, mid-story removal and herbicide) was burned in June to promote diversity of native ground cover.
• SCDNR was one of several states/partners to be awarded an America the Beautiful grant to restore and enhance gopher tortoise habitat at TSRHP and CWMA. 

Coosawhatchie Wildlife Management Area (CWMA)

• The CWMA consists of over 13,000 acres in Hampton and Jasper counties, and was recently acquired by SCDNR. With these acquisitions, four of the largest gopher tortoise populations in SC are on protected lands and under state ownership (2 MVP and 2 PSP). 
• Burrow surveys are underway to document distribution of tortoises and commensals. 

Other Upland Species Projects

• Partial funding from the America the Beautiful grant will be used for restoration and habitat enhancement at the Webb Wildlife Center for several SGCN species, including gopher frogs. 
• SCDNR and partners (USFWS, US Forest Service, Longleaf Alliance, Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy (ARC), SREL, Riverbanks Zoo) continue restoration, monitoring and headstarting of gopher frog populations.
• Two separate studies examining the effects of survival, movements and habitat use of hard vs soft released gopher frogs have been completed. Results are being analyzed. (SCDNR, SREL, UGA and Riverbanks Zoo).
• Data from two telemetry studies on pine snake habitat use, survival, movements, and home range size are being analyzed. (Coastal Carolina University, ARC, US Forest Service).
• A long-term telemetry study on Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes continues to help better understand habitat use, movements, survival and home range size, as well as reproductive costs and the severity of infection and impacts of Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola on EDB and other herps (Marshall University).

Conservation Committee

The Conservation Committee has been focused on planning and brainstorming to get the committee off the ground. They've been working on a process for responding to specific project proposals, and have decided to focus on projects of a regional significance. They've also monitored specific projects including:

• Split Oak Forest WEA Conservation Easement Release(s) by FWC
• Rock Springs Ridge HOA Conservation Easement Release by FWC
• Florida State Park(s) Development Proposals by FDEP
• Withlacoochee State Forest Land Swap Proposal.

Via the Conservation Committee, GTC signed the Sierra Club's advocacy letter opposing the Withlacoochee State Forest Land Swap proposal. They also coordinated with the Desert Tortoise Council to facilitate Ed Larue's participation at the 2024 GTC annual meeting.

Education and Outreach Committee 

The committee has been busy coordinating GTC's education and outreach grants and awards. For 2024:

Gopher Tortoise Day Grants 

• 6 of 6 grants were funded: 
• City of Satellite Beach, $600
• All You Need Institute, $500
• Hundred Acre Hollows Inc., $295
• Merritt Island Wildlife Association, $950
• Troy University, $1279.42
• The Great Outdoors, NatureScape, $1500

Heinrich Education Grant

• Three applicants in the review process:
• Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, $1406.32
• Gulf State Park Nature Center, $4560.22
• Polk County Parks and Natural Resources, $5000
• One applicant was funded earlier in the year:
• Fang Fest, Christian Fernandez, $3, 455.00

Committee members have also been busy coordinating presentations with other organizations and have been providing outreach to schools in Florida. In 2025, they'll be focusing on purchasing additional totes and replenishing outreach materials, revitalizing GTC's social media accounts, soliciting more grant applications, and developing new educational materials. 

Nominations Committee 

The Nominations Committee helped GTC to welcome Jeff Baker as our new Junior Co-Chair and Kaitlin Kuylen as our new LA Co-State Representative. 

Upland Snake Committee 

The Upland Snake Committee has had a productive year, and has also grown. Some of their accomplishments include:

• Added two new members. Peyton Niebanck is the Assistant Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Coordinator at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Ryne Huggins is the Stewardship Coordinator at Aiken Land Conservancy.
• Collectively worked with Leah Gerlock to redesign Upland Snake Initiative webpage, including the presentation of more popular articles and videos, to benefit the general public with an interest in these animals.
• Created two new fact sheets, for the gopher frog and the pygmy rattlesnake.
• Andrew, Ryne, and Peter initiated plans to conduct a herpetological bioblitz with SC Parc and SCDNR in South Carolina on a conservation property not currently open to the public.
• Peyton worked with Deb Burr to create a social media post to profile current upland snake work and research on the GTC Facebook page.
• Peyton and Peter worked with FSU Environmental Service Program to have Peyton Niebanck speak to students about herpetological conservation and upland snakes, hopefully attracting new student members to GTC.
• Alan helped to coordinate a bioblitz at Boyd Hill during GTC meeting.

Going forward, the committee plans to create more fact sheets, tie in upland dnakes to future educational events, continue to contribute to social media, organize bioblitzes, add resources to website, work with other GTC committees to respond to relevant upland snake conservation issues, and try to inform land managers about best practices for managing upland snake habitat.