Re: gopher tortoise baby

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Posted by Dan on May 28, 1999 at 21:55:50:

In Reply to: gopher tortoise baby posted by Pat Zaborowski on May 28, 1999 at 21:12:21:

: I am being brought a gopher tortoise baby that a friend
: of mine has gotton from her friend who picked it up
: while visiting florida. I believe the gopher to be just
: over a year old. These are protected here in florida.
: I have sent emails to the gopher council and have had
: no replies. What do I do with this baby? I am concerned with the conservation of this species and
: other florida turtles. I cannot seem to get an answer
: from anyone as to what to do with it. Is it safe to
: assume that it could be released perhaps at a wild life preserve?

Nope sorry. Please don't release that little gopher. Picking up gophers like your friend of a friend did is a very unwise thing.
Unless the tortoise can be returned to the same site it came from, and can be certified as disease free, it should not be released into the wild for several reasons.

First- There is some level of genetic variation within tortoises in the SE U.S. Even within Florida there are separate "sub-populations." We don't really know what these genetic differences account for, but it is not wise to mix them up by moving tortoises around.

Second- The evil URTD. Many populations of tortoises in Florida are affected by Upper Respiratory Tract Disease caused in most cases by the same mycoplasma that put the Desert tortoise on the endangered species list. One theory is that the disease has been transmitted around Florida by the capture and subsequent releasing of tortoises that carry the disease.
Several "wild life preserves" in Florida have turned up as hot beds of URTD - probably due to well-meaning folks dumping tortoises where "they will be safe." The very places that have been bought to preserve gophers and their habitat have been severely compromised by the dumping of tortoises.

Once a gopher has been removed from the wild, possibly exposed to diseases from other captive animals, undoubtably stressed, and its location of origin lost in the translation, it is not a candidate for release. Such releases may be a feel good thing for an individual animal, but they can very harmful to the population.

If you would like to throw yourself on the mercy of the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission you can contact them directly. But remember, it is illegal to possess a gopher without a permit no matter how you got it. However, permits to keep a nonreleasable gopher can be had from the game commission. I would not recommend calling their law enforcement folks, however.
If you will email me I can give you the phone number/email of their gopher expert and she may be able to intercede or take the tortoise and find it a place.

Follow Ups:

Re: gopher tortoise plight gary 03/26/00 (0)
Re: gopher tortoise plight gary 03/26/00 (0)
Re: gopher tortoise baby scott 6/01/99 (1)
- Re: gopher tortoise baby ttrout 10/18/99 (0)
Re: gopher tortoise baby TurtlGirl 5/29/99 (1)
- Re: gopher tortoise baby joel 06/21/00 (0)

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: : I am being brought a gopher tortoise baby that a friend : : of mine has gotton from her friend who picked it up : : while visiting florida. I believe the gopher to be just : : over a year old. These are protected here in florida. : : I have sent emails to the gopher council and have had : : no replies. What do I do with this baby? I am concerned with the conservation of this species and : : other florida turtles. I cannot seem to get an answer : : from anyone as to what to do with it. Is it safe to : : assume that it could be released perhaps at a wild life preserve? : : Nope sorry. Please don't release that little gopher. Picking up gophers like your friend of a friend did is a very unwise thing. : Unless the tortoise can be returned to the same site it came from, and can be certified as disease free, it should not be released into the wild for several reasons. : First- There is some level of genetic variation within tortoises in the SE U.S. Even within Florida there are separate "sub-populations." We don't really know what these genetic differences account for, but it is not wise to mix them up by moving tortoises around. : Second- The evil URTD. Many populations of tortoises in Florida are affected by Upper Respiratory Tract Disease caused in most cases by the same mycoplasma that put the Desert tortoise on the endangered species list. One theory is that the disease has been transmitted around Florida by the capture and subsequent releasing of tortoises that carry the disease. : Several "wild life preserves" in Florida have turned up as hot beds of URTD - probably due to well-meaning folks dumping tortoises where "they will be safe." The very places that have been bought to preserve gophers and their habitat have been severely compromised by the dumping of tortoises. : Once a gopher has been removed from the wild, possibly exposed to diseases from other captive animals, undoubtably stressed, and its location of origin lost in the translation, it is not a candidate for release. Such releases may be a feel good thing for an individual animal, but they can very harmful to the population. : If you would like to throw yourself on the mercy of the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission you can contact them directly. But remember, it is illegal to possess a gopher without a permit no matter how you got it. However, permits to keep a nonreleasable gopher can be had from the game commission. I would not recommend calling their law enforcement folks, however. : If you will email me I can give you the phone number/email of their gopher expert and she may be able to intercede or take the tortoise and find it a place.

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