FWC revises permitting guidelines for threatened gopher tortoise

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved on Friday, July 24, revisions to the Gopher Tortoise Permitting Guidelines. The revisions include clarifications and updates to data, permitting, and mitigation requirements. The goals of these changes are to clarify and streamline the permitting process, improve the quality of data and methods used to collect it, and improve the conservation value and effectiveness of relocation activities. FWC staff members will work with stakeholders to address safety concerns with these provisions.

The Gopher Tortoise Management Plan and associated Guidelines provide the management framework for gopher tortoise conservation in Florida. Gopher Tortoise Permitting Guidelines clarify protections, outline activities where permits are needed, provide methods and qualifications for individuals conducting gopher tortoise relocation, and outline requirements for sites that receive gopher tortoises. The initial Guidelines were approved in 2008, and multiple revisions over the years have allowed for continued improvement in the permitting process and in conservation for the gopher tortoise.http://MyFWC.com/GopherTortoise

Gopher tortoises are long-living reptiles that occupy upland habitat throughout Florida, including forests, pastures, and yards. They dig deep burrows for shelter, and forage on low-growing plants. Gopher tortoises share these burrows with more than 350 other species, and are therefore referred to as a keystone species. Conservation of gopher tortoises depends not only on the efforts of FWC and other conservation groups, but also on Florida's citizens. There are many ways to co-exist with these gentle lands tortoises.

To learn more about gopher tortoises in Florida visit MyFWC.com/GopherTortoise.

For an overview of how Florida conserves imperiled species, go to MyFWC.com/Imperiled.