Volunteer Project Gopher Tortoise Survey
While a student at the University of North Florida, Chuck Shaffer volunteered to study
the gopher tortoises living on the road to Pelotes Island. During 1999 - 2000, he
took notes and pictures of the turtles. Click here to learn more about gopher
tortoises.
Chuck put sticks in front of the opening of the burrows. If the stick was knocked down when he came to check on the hole, Chuck knew that a gopher tortoise was living in the burrow.
If you look closely, you can see the track left by one of the turtles that Chuck was studying.
Some days Chuck was lucky enough to see a tortoise walking around.
You have to look fast, before the tortoise returns to its home.