Volume 46, Number 2
Dear Members,
It has been a great experience serving on the Gopher Tortoise Council. Even though my term as Senior Co-Chair of the Gopher Tortoise Council will be ending soon, I will continue to stay involved as the Past Co-Chair next year and into the future. The Gopher Tortoise Council is lucky to have so many committed people involved with the organization. Thanks to all of you for allowing me to serve in this role.
We have a great Annual Meeting planned for this year. The meeting will be held at the Gulf State Park Lodge, AL with presentations on November 6-7 and field trips on the 8th. The annual meeting will give everyone the chance to visit Alabama’s beautiful gulf beaches. Look forward to seeing you there. More details will be coming soon.
Thanks again for the opportunity to work alongside you. It’s been a pleasure being involved with such dedicated professionals. Please welcome Kevin Loope as he transitions into the Senior Co-Chair role. I know he will do an outstanding job.
Thanks,
Jeff Baker, GTC Senior Co-Chair
Keep reading for the latest news and announcements from the Gopher Tortoise Council, including:
- 2026 annual meeting benefits for students
- Dig into GTC's archives and help grow our history
- Online submission form now available for GTC awards
- Support GTC by becoming a member
- Get your gopher tortoise license plate
GTC's 48th annual meeting brings us back to Alabama's Gulf State Park Lodge, 21196 East Beach Blvd., Gulf Shores, AL 36542. The meeting will be held November 6–8, 2026. We look forward to seeing you there!
Exploring the connection between gopher tortoise home range size and mating opportunities to elucidate the mating system (Karin Ebey, Eckerd College)
Each year, GTC awards 1-2 grants of up to $3,000 each to undergraduate and/or graduate students researching gopher tortoise biology and ecology, or other relevant aspects of upland habitat conservation and management within the range of the gopher tortoise. Karin Ebey was a Landers Grant recipient in 2025. Keep reading to learn more about her research project.
The Gopher Tortoise Probability Index: A Mapping Tool to Improve Gopher Tortoise Relocation Outcomes
Neal Halstead and Eric Sievers (Wildlands Conservation, Inc.)
Florida is the third-largest state in the U.S. by human population and has the highest net migration rate in the country, with an average of >1,000 people moving to the state per day from 2020 to 20251. This leads to direct conflict between development to accommodate the demands of a rapidly growing human population and conservation efforts for tortoises displaced by development. Because tortoises are a state-designated threatened species, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) requires relocation permits to move tortoises from any potentially occupied burrows that occur within 25 feet of construction footprints and associated development areas. Over 25,000 relocation permits have been issued by FWC since 2009, resulting in the relocation of over 110,000 tortoises.
Peter Kleinhenz (Aiken Land Conservancy)
Aiken Land Conservancy recently acquired the 431-acre Keadle Bridge Tract, a property of exceptional ecological importance located in Aiken County, South Carolina. This tract represents a major step forward in establishing a connected corridor of protected land between Aiken State Park and the Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve.
The GTC Gopher Tortoise Day Grant was established to support educators and organizations that would like to develop a program or need funds to participate in Gopher Tortoise Day, April 10th. The goal of Gopher Tortoise Day is to increase awareness and appreciation for these long-lived, gentle reptiles. Keep reading to see how this year's Gopher Tortoise Day Grant recipients celebrated Gopher Tortoise Day!
This volume of The Burrow includes updates from GTC's Conservation and Education & Outreach Committees. Keep reading to learn more about the important work being done by our committees and their members.
Some recently published articles about gopher tortoises, their commensals, and upland communities in the southeast. Check out GTC's Education & Outreach page for more literature, including snake and tortoise bibliographies.