Tallahassee Democrat
Update: FWC coordinates gopher tortoises release
September 26, 2014
Nineteen gopher tortoises would have likely died if not relocated today to a new home on conservation land owned by media mogul and philanthropist Ted Turner.
Through a voluntary agreement with land developers, the endangered animals were captured by volunteers and relocated to Turner’s Avalon property in Jefferson County in partnership with the Turner Endangered Species Fund and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Burrows were dug prior to the release. Tortoises were weighed and processed before venturing into the longleaf pine ecosystem – perfect for the prehistoric creatures registered as a state threatened species. A few went right in to the burrows and others paused, scoping the surroundings and the flurry of activity around them.
