{"id":81591,"date":"2025-12-12T23:49:10","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T23:49:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/81591\/"},"modified":"2025-12-12T23:49:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T23:49:10","slug":"making-a-difference-for-island-gopher-tortoises-sanibel-captiva","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/81591\/","title":{"rendered":"Making a difference for island gopher tortoises – SANIBEL-CAPTIVA"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) reported that its Gopher Tortoise Habitat Enhancement Project is in full swing, helping enhance habitat for the keystone species. The project supports the existing gopher tortoise monitoring program by creating more suitable habitat with a helping hand from the island community.<\/p>\n

The program launched on Oct. 30 with a project talk by SCCF biologist Mike Mills highlighting the history and ecology of gopher tortoises on Sanibel, from their diet, range and habitat to their role in the ecosystem. He also explained the impacts to gopher tortoise populations from recent hurricanes and scope of the enhancement project.<\/p>\n

After the talk, the SCCF\u2019s Coastal Watch got to work organizing weekly volunteer events for the project. Volunteers have been hard at work clearing invasive plant species and overgrown vegetation from the C.R. Johnson Preserve. The project is focusing on improving the open, sandy upland environments that gopher tortoises rely on for burrowing, nesting and foraging.<\/p>\n

Since the project kickoff, volunteers have already begun transforming the habitats, clearing and enhancing large sections of land on the preserve. Volunteer events will be held on Thursdays through March from 9 to 10:30 a.m. For more information, visit https:\/\/dash.pointapp.org\/programs\/7315<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The SCCF reported that the long-term goal for the project is to establish the areas as a designated recipient site for gopher tortoises that need to be relocated.<\/p>\n


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