Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
FWC biologist briefs commissioners on gopher tortoise biology and permitting; county clarifies homeowner responsibilities
Loading...
Summary
Florida Fish and Wildlife’s Northeast-region gopher tortoise biologist explained the species' ecology and FWC’s permitting: any relocation within 25 feet of development triggers a permit; recipient-site density rules average roughly one tortoise per acre while on-site relocation can be allowed when ~700 sq ft is available.
Connor Walsh, Northeast Region gopher tortoise conservation biologist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, gave an educational briefing to the Hernando County Board of County Commissioners on April 14 about gopher tortoise biology, the ecological role of burrows, and the state permitting system used when tortoises or burrows are in the footprint of development.
Walsh said gopher tortoises are land-dwelling and long-lived, often not reproducing until 9–21 years of age, and described the burrow as an important microhabitat shared by more than 350 other species. On permitting, he told the board: "FWC requires that there be a permit obtained for any relocation of gopher tortoise burrows within 25 feet of development activities," labeling that the "25-foot burrow rule." He explained permit categories including small-site permits (10 or fewer burrows), conservation permits for larger counts, and temporary-exclusion permits used for linear projects.
Commissioners asked how to tell if a burrow is active; Walsh said active burrows typically have a clean sand apron and tortoise tracks, while abandoned burrows accumulate leaf litter and roots. He also addressed recipient-site rules: for permitted recipient sites where tortoises are relocated off-site, a typical guideline is roughly one tortoise per acre to allow room for reproduction; by contrast, he said on-site relocations can be acceptable if the property provides an area (roughly 700 square feet) for the tortoise to occupy without relocation off the parcel.
Walsh told residents and commissioners that permit guidance and mitigation tables — including mitigation-contribution schedules and permit fees — are publicly available on the MyFWC website (myfwc.com/gophertortoises). He also described reporting options: the FWC wildlife alert hotline (888-404-3922) can be used anonymously to report potential violations, injured animals or concerns about disturbed burrows. Walsh closed by offering to answer site-specific questions and to coordinate with county staff when private surveys or development proposals require FWC input.
The presentation provided county staff with material to include in resident-facing guidance and county web pages that the board asked staff to make prominent for property owners evaluating development risk and consultant needs.
