Authored by: Vicky Sutton-Jackson A rare study shows how one of Georgia’s barrier islands provides a safe haven for gopher tortoises and gives researchers at the University of Georgia evidence to prove species relocation is an effective conservation tool. Georgia’s state reptile is one of the most threatened vertebrates. Numerous causes include annual low reproduction rates, habitat lost to development, and a vulnerable size prior to maturity that can render the species at risk for predation and roadside ruin. The study was conducted on St. Catherines Island, a private, 23-square-mile island south of Savannah, Georgia, and is the first long-term data captured on immature tortoises in a translocated or relocated population. The results revealed a survival rate of close to 40% for hatchlings, 70% for juveniles and 80% for subadults (similar to a teenager — almost adult size but not sexually mature). Tracey Tuberville, a senior research scientist at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory and adjunct faculty at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, said the tortoises’ ability to reproduce and survive are indicators of a viable population. Read more on the UGA News website.
