An example of disastrous effects when mixing different species of tortoise / turtles occurred with the Florida Fish and Game at a national wildlife preserve. While trying to save declining populations of our native Florida Box Turtle; 600 were collected and released at Egmont Key Florida. They were doing very well for the first few years; then the wildlife officials decided to add diversity. They wanted to try and save the protected Gopher Tortoise; so they added them to the national preserve also. ( Even though these two species never overlap naturally due to geographical barriers which kept them isolated for tens of thousands of years)

In two years, the Florida Box Turtles were almost completely wiped out due to a viral disease found in the gut of the Gopher Tortoise which had no effect on the Gophers. Further studies proved the Florida Boxies contracted the viral disorder due to direct contact with Gopher Tortoises which proved fatal without treatment due to the different species sharing common burrows on Egmont Key. There was a massive effort to remove the Gophers.


All is documented in a manuel and published book by Dr. Kenneth Dodd.

North American Box Turtles

Incidentally PBS aired a special on TORTOISES on Sept. 04/06. At the end of the segment they warned about mixing different varieties of tortoises due to respiratory infections that proved fatal. You can purchase a VHS copy via the internet.

Petri

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