It is against the law to kill, harass, or destroy gopher tortoises; this includes their burrows and eggs . If you suspect illegal activity, you can report it anonymously to FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922, calling #FWC or *FWC on your cell phone, or texting [email protected]
Can you relocate a gopher turtle?
Gopher Tortoises can usually be relocated during any time of the year with the exception of three consecutive days under 50 degrees Fahrenheit on the recipient property . This means that it is more convenient to relocate during non-winter months.
Is it illegal to relocate gopher tortoises?
Gopher tortoises must be relocated before any land clearing or development takes place , and property owners must obtain permits from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission before they can move them. ...
How do you get rid of a gopher tortoise?
Although there are a few ways to remove gopher tortoises from their burrows, the method most commonly used involves a backhoe digging up roughly 80 percent of the ground above the burrow as agents track it with flexible PVC piping.
What do you do if you find a baby gopher turtle?
The best (and legal) thing to do is put it back near where you found it , out of immediate danger. Gopher tortoises live in dry habitats, not in water like most turtles. I would suggest you go to the land behind you where you saw the large turtle and put the baby there.
What is the fine for killing a gopher turtle?
Florida law prohibits any person from killing or wounding gopher tortoises, which are protected as threatened in the state. Violating the law is a third-degree felony and punishable by up to five years in prison, a $5,000 fine or both .
How do you relocate a gopher?
The best way to target gophers living under your house is by trapping them in live traps and relocating them . This takes a little homework in the sense that you need to find the gopher’s tunnels in order to place the traps. Then you just relocate the gopher miles from your house.
Do gopher turtles carry diseases?
These long-lived reptiles are found throughout Florida and are affected by various diseases including upper respiratory tract disease . A number of pathogens such as Mycoplasma spp., Herpesvirus, and Ranavirus are known to cause upper respiratory tract disease in gopher tortoises.
Do gopher turtles bite?
Gopher tortoises are docile creatures and don’t bite back to protect themselves . Typically, tortoises will pull their head into their shell and use their front legs as a shield.
What time of year do gopher turtles lay eggs?
Breeding occurs from March through December (Gopher Tortoise Management Plan 2012). Females typically begin reproducing between ages 9 and 21. Males usually begin reproducing between ages 9 and 18. A female can produce one clutch per year, though an individual may not necessarily lay a clutch each year.
What do I do if I find a gopher tortoise in my yard?
It is against the law to kill, harass, or destroy gopher tortoises; this includes their burrows and eggs . If you suspect illegal activity, you can report it anonymously to FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922, calling #FWC or *FWC on your cell phone, or texting [email protected]
What is the lifespan of a gopher tortoise?
Gopher tortoises can live 40 to 60 years in the wild , though captive tortoises may live 90+ years. Males reach adulthood at approximately 9-12 years of age, whereas a female may take 10-21 years to reach maturity depending on local resource abundance and latitude (Ernst et al.
What does a gopher turtle burrow look like?
Gopher tortoise burrow entrances will be roughly the same size as the tortoise occupying it and will have a half-moon shape with greater horizontal than vertical length . If a burrow is taller than it is wide, or has a more circular shape, it probably belongs to another animal.
How do you tell how old a gopher turtle is?
The tortoise we featured is the Gopher Tortoise and you can tell the age by counting the rings on it’s scute . Each plate on the shell is ridged and each ridge represents a year’s growth.
Do gopher turtles make noise?
Turtles, too, are capable of producing hissing sounds , even though they do not have vocal cords. In the case of turtles, however, the hissing sounds you hear are not of their own volition.
What can I feed my gopher turtle?
Primarily herbivorous creatures, gopher tortoises eat grasses, mushrooms, saw palmetto berries , and prickly pear cactus pads, fruits and flowers, as well as blackberries, blueberries, gopher apples and other low-growing fruits.
