Gopher Tortoise Research

Gopher tortoises prefer a habitat that is higher in elevation, dry, and has an open canopy with low lying shrubs and grasses.

Historically, Sanibel Island was a series of higher elevation sand ridges (1-2 meters above sea level, ideal gopher tortoise habitat) that would alternate with lower elevation swales, which would create seasonal wetlands in the swales during the rainy season. Because of naturally occurring fires from lightning strikes and the occasional wash over from storm surges, the island stayed mostly a grassland with few tall woody plants.

When development began to increase in the 1950s, mosquito ditching and a weir system were created, this led to permanent bodies of freshwater to occur on Sanibel for the first time in its 6,000 year old history. The freshwater combined with the suppression of naturally occurring fire allowed for tall woody plants to establish themselves and encroach on gopher tortoise habitat.

SCCF began monitoring gopher tortoise burrows on two of our preserves in the year 2000. This expanded to three more preserves in 2007. Each year in the months of October-November, burrows are given an activity status: active, inactive, abandoned. The number of active and abandoned burrows each year can inform our biologists on the health of the gopher tortoise population in each preserve.

Gopher tortoises are a keystone species that play a vital role in maintaining the health and balance of their ecosystem. Their burrows provide shelter for over 350 other species, including snakes, frogs, and small mammals, offering protection from predators, fire, and extreme weather. By feeding on a variety of grasses and fruits, they also help disperse seeds and promote plant diversity. Without gopher tortoises, the ecosystems they inhabit would begin to deteriorate, making this a vital species to protect.

Gopher tortoises are found throughout most of Florida because the state provides the warm climate, sandy soils, and open, sunny habitats they need. They thrive in fire-maintained ecosystems like pine flatwoods and scrub, where they can dig burrows and feed on a variety of grasses and plants. Their ability to adapt to different upland habitats makes them one of Florida’s most widespread and important wildlife species.

Before Hurricane Ian in 2021, we had a total of 157 active burrows monitored across 5 preserves. Our 2022 survey occurred in November after hurricane Ian and the active burrow count dropped to 64. It had a slight increase to 70 active burrows in 2023, but after hurricanes Helene and Milton, that number dropped stunningly to less than 20. The combination of loss of habitat from woody encroachment and hurricane storm surges greatly affects this species.

The gopher tortoise enhancement project came about after SCCF biologists discovered areas that were once ideal gopher tortoise habitat, had become degraded with invasive plants and hurricane debris. After hurricanes Ian, Helene, and Milton, areas that once had been open with low growing shrubs and grasses, were now completely covered by invasive plant species such as ragweed and fallen tree limbs. These areas were no longer offering gopher tortoises what they need — open sandy soils, sun exposure, and native food sources. Seeing those impacts firsthand made it clear that this was a project worth tackling, both for the tortoises and for the hundreds of other species that rely on their burrows for shelter.

We saw an opportunity to restore these spaces and expand habitat for this keystone species that plays such a critical role in our local ecosystem. This project is a big undertaking and requires getting the community involved to help this project be successful. 

In simple terms, it's about improving habitat quality. Volunteers and staff are removing invasive and overgrown vegetation, planting native species, and restoring open sandy areas that tortoises prefer. 

Over the next few years, this project will focus on improving gopher tortoise habitat across several SCCF-managed preserves, starting with 0.75 acre of the C.R. Johnston Preserve. Here, our team has identified several enhancement zones that either once supported, or can easily be restored to, coastal scrub habitat—the open, sandy environment preferred by gopher tortoises for burrowing and feeding. In these areas, SCCF staff and community volunteers will remove invasive and overgrown vegetation, selectively open the tree canopy to allow more sunlight to reach the ground, and reestablish native groundcover species that provide food and shelter. Together, these actions will help create a healthier, more resilient landscape that supports gopher tortoises and the many other species that depend on their burrows.

It’s a big undertaking to be managed by just SCCF staff alone, so community involvement is key to making this project a success. We are requesting the help of residents and interested visitors to join us at our weekly volunteer events from November through March. This initiative is also part of SCCF’s Voluntourism Campaign, which offers visitors and families a hands-on way to give back to the islands during their stay while learning about local conservation efforts.

To ensure the gopher tortoise habitat enhancement project is successful, several important steps need to be accomplished. First, invasive and overgrown vegetation will be carefully removed to restore the open, sandy spaces that gopher tortoises depend on for nesting and foraging. Next, volunteers and staff will plant native grasses and groundcover.

By combining the dedication of SCCF staff, the enthusiasm of local residents, and the participation of visitors through our voluntourism program, this project will enhance critical gopher tortoise habitat, boost native biodiversity, and strengthen community connections to conservation in action.

Education is a huge part of this effort. SCCF worked with the City of Sanibel to install gopher tortoise crossing signs near the project site to raise awareness and help reduce road-related impacts. We’re also encouraging residents to make their yards more gopher tortoise–friendly by planting native vegetation and minimizing lawn treatments that can harm their habitat. To make that easier, “gopher tortoise–friendly” plants are available for purchase at SCCF’s Bailey Homestead Native Landscapes & Garden Center. In addition, we’ll be offering guided educational walks led by our wildlife biologists at the project site so the community can learn firsthand about the species, their habitat needs, and how everyone can play a part in their protection.

We’re also raising funds to install a livestream camera near one of the active burrows at the project site. This will give the community a unique window into the daily life of a gopher tortoise and help deepen appreciation for the species. It’s a fun and engaging way to connect people of all ages to conservation in action – without disturbing the animals or their “newly enhanced” habitat. 

In the short term, our goal is to expand suitable habitat and encourage increased burrow activity within the restored areas.  We want to see healthier vegetation, more open sandy coastal scrub habitat, and evidence that tortoises are actively using these improved spaces. 

In addition to supporting the existing tortoise population, the long-term goal of this project is to establish SCCF-managed lands as a designated recipient site for gopher tortoises. By meeting the habitat quality and management standards required by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, SCCF will be able to accept relocated tortoises from areas where populations are under threat from habitat loss and development.

SCCF is currently working on a range of habitat restoration and community science projects, including mangrove restoration and building oyster reef habitat in Tarpon Bay.  Each of these efforts ties back to our mission — to protect and care for the coastal ecosystems that make Southwest Florida so unique.