We are incredibly grateful to the Charitable Foundation of the Islands (CFI) 100+ Women Who Care for fully funding SCCF’s Gopher Tortoise Live Cam project.

For over two decades, SCCF has monitored gopher tortoises, which are an essential keystone species whose burrows support more than 350 other species. After the recent hurricanes reduced the number of monitored active burrows on Sanibel from 157 to fewer than 20, this work is more important than ever.

Thanks to this generous support, we will install the first-ever live camera at an active gopher tortoise burrow at the SCCF C.R. Johnston Preserve. This 24/7 live stream will allow our community to stay connected to Sanibel’s wildlife, while also serving as a powerful tool for education and outreach.

This project builds on the hard work of 61 volunteers who contributed 262 hours to restore this habitat in the past months and ensures their impact can be seen and appreciated every day.

After the initial presentation of a check for $10,000 at the CFI pitch event, the SCCF team was thrilled to learn at a follow-up event at Congress Jewelers that the 100+ Women Who Care had raised $22,000 to fully fund the project. The women also voted to name the burrowing gopher tortoise “Dolly.”

“Our team is excited to begin installation and get the camera live as soon as possible. We are deeply thankful for this support, which helps bring conservation to life and keeps our community connected to the species and places they care about most,” said Policy Associate Allie Pecenka, who was randomly selected to pitch the project.