From the HerpDigest Volume # 10 Issue #18 4/16/09



3) Moving Tortoises To Cost Titusville $102K - Threatened Species Must Be Relocated Before Water Project Can Continue

By Dave Berman • Florida Today • April 14, 2010



TITUSVILLE — The city council on Tuesday unanimously approved paying $102,100 to relocate 60 gopher tortoises found at the site of a water transmission main construction project -- or more than $1,700 per tortoise.



Because gopher tortoises are a threatened species, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission regulations require that their locations are surveyed and, as necessary, the tortoises are relocated to a suitable alternate site.



"I believe the costs are reasonable," said John Peterson, water resources manager for the Titusville Water Resources Department. "This is not something that we routinely do here, but it is not unusual for gopher tortoises to be found on construction sites."



In January, the city council approved spending $38,500 on the tortoise relocations: $16,800 to Dyer, Riddle, Mills & Precourt of Orlando for the surveying, permitting, excavation and relocation of 20 gopher tortoises; and $21,700 for site fees to a property owner where the turtles will be relocated and to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in additional fees.



But DRMP later conducted a detailed field survey, and more gopher tortoises than anticipated were found at the construction site, which extend south from near the Volusia County line to Titusville. That means the city will pay $20,900 more to the company and $42,700 more in fees to move an additional 40 tortoises.



Peterson said the contract with DRMP is less expensive than what the other company the city contacted would have charged for the work.



The water transmission main is, in effect, a pipeline that will transmit water from a new well field Titusville is developing in North Brevard County -- extending south from near the Volusia County line to the city's Mourning Dove Water Treatment Plant on Garden Street.



The $5.6 million project started last month and is expected to be completed by the end of the year, Peterson said.



Peterson said all the tortoise sites are outside the Titusville city limits, but because it is a city construction project, Titusville is responsible for paying to relocate them.



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I am interested in comments on this, especially from Florida Herpers. Does this sound reasonable? I know it is a good idea and necessary.

My question is this -- 1) If the tortoises are homers, and I believe they are, wouldn't relocating them be somewhat ineffective? Wouldn't confining them and breeding new generations near the new home location ensure headstarted generations would be more prone to stick around, rather than head for home and die by vehicular homicide.

Couldn't things be done in a manner such as this at comparable or less cost?



One more question -- 2) Does the new location(s) have an existing Gopher population and can the new location(s) handle the excess population of new arrivals? Will the existing resources support the additional tortoises?



There has been issues in relocating California Gophers along these lines.



jsc

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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"

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