A gopher tortoise strolling across a road or through a backyard or field is a common sight during spring in Florida.
Yet, as tortoises become increasingly active this time of year, they are vulnerable to being struck by vehicles, and injured or killed.
Don’t forget to look out for these slow-moving reptiles with their bony-plated shells and elephantine legs, state officials said. They leave their burrows in search of green plants to eat and a tortoise to become their mate. From now through the end of May, females will lay eggs the size of ping-pong balls in the sandy apron outside their burrows.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission encourages drivers to slow down on highways to help protect the state’s gopher tortoises. If a gopher tortoise is crossing the road, it is OK to pick it up and move it to safety. However, keep it pointed in the direction it was heading, and do not put it in the water.
People also can help by using a new smartphone app called “Florida gopher tortoise” that’s available for both iPhone and Android. When users of the app use it to take a photograph of a tortoise or its burrow, the photo and its GPS coordinates will be sent automatically to the wildlife group.
This data will help guide conservation of this threatened species, as well as provide information to the user on the biological makeup and even a quiz about the only tortoise making its home east of the Mississippi River.
The wildlife commission conducts regular prescribed burning to help maintain the sandy, open fields and forests as well as the soft-stemmed plants that tortoises need to survive. It’s part of the overall gopher tortoise management plan maintained by the wildlife commission, which can be accessed at MyFWC.com/Wildlife.
To report injured or dead gopher tortoises, call (850) 921-1030 during weekdays, or the hotline after-hours at (888) 404-3922.
Harming a gopher tortoise, its burrows or eggs is against the law.
