How to protect tortoises and create a tortoise friendly yard
With more than half of the land in Florida in private ownership, the FWC recognizes the critical importance of private property owners in wildlife and habitat conservation, and has thus instituted its Gopher Tortoise Friendly Yard Recognition Program (visit myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/gopher-tortoise/yard-recognition) which honors Florida’s private landowners for their positive impact on gopher tortoise conservation.
“The Gopher Tortoise Friendly Yard Recognition Program helps recognize and encourage landowners to enhance habitat and help protect gopher tortoises and their burrows,” said FWC’s Gopher Tortoise Program Coordinator, Katherine Richardson. “These kinds of efforts also benefit many other species that use tortoise burrows for shelter, foraging and nesting habitat.”
Landowners participating in the Gopher Tortoise Friendly Yard Recognition Program are recognized with a sign for their property and a certificate. Any Florida property owner can take steps to make their land gopher tortoise friendly. To apply for recognition, landowners should sign the Acknowledgement Form, provide contact and property information, and complete the Gopher Tortoise Friendly Yard checklist.
The FWC's Gopher Tortoise Day (April 10) was adopted in 2016 as a day of appreciation for our native tortoises and to encourage people to help protect this threatened species. Visit GopherTortoiseDayFL.com for information about this holiday, along with a guide to living with gopher tortoises
How you can help gopher tortoises:
• Report sightings of gopher tortoises or notify the FWC of a sick, injured or dead tortoise here: app.myfwc.com/HSC/GopherTortoise.
• Consider volunteering with the FWC on gopher tortoise conservation efforts. For more information on volunteering with the FWC or to request an application, email: GTEvents@MyFWC.com.
• If you see a gopher tortoise crossing a road and it is safe for you to do so, you may pick it up and place it in a safe location along the roadside in the direction it was heading. Never put tortoises in water, as gopher tortoises can’t swim like turtles can.
• Remember that gopher tortoises are a protected species. It is illegal to harm a gopher tortoise, its eggs or its burrow, to relocate without a permit, or to possess a tortoise, its eggs, or any parts of a tortoise.
• Report wildlife violations to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
Spring is an active time for gopher tortoises and many native wildlife species. Learn more by visiting myfwc.com/news/spring-news.
Find out more about Florida’s only native tortoise at MyFWC.com/GopherTortoise or MyFWC.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/gopher-tortoise.