The Humane Society of the United States commends The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for voting to change the classification of the gopher tortoise from species of special concern to threatened species.
"The vote recognizes that these remarkable creatures deserve special protection and, hopefully, will help reverse some of the damage of a 16-year FWC policy that allowed developers to buy permits to bury the creatures alive," said Michael Markarian, executive vice president of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), based in Washington, D.C
Because of this "pay and bury" policy, tens of thousands of tortoises have been crushed under bulldozers or buried beneath pavement to slowly starve, dehydrate, or suffocate.
The FWC also passed a new gopher tortoise management plan that requires relocation of all gopher tortoises on development lands, aims to increase protected gopher tortoise habitat, and offers incentives for relocating gopher tortoises to permanently preserved lands.
We remain deeply concerned, however, that the FWC decided to "grandfather" all pay-and-bury permits applied for, or issued, prior to July 30. It means that thousands more tortoises may still be entombed under construction for years to come. The HSUS has a database showing that, as of July 31, 2007, the state has permitted the destruction of more than 101,200 tortoises -- almost 3,000 in June and July of this year alone. These totals do not include pending applications received before the deadline for "grandfathered" permits.
The grandfathered permits are inconsistent with the threatened species listing and management plan, and they also allow animal cruelty. We implore the state to stop honoring these permits and instead require relocation.
We also remain concerned that the FWC has provided no assurances that it will require humane gopher tortoise relocation. Because tortoises naturally try to return to their former home, special provisions need to be made with temporary enclosures to acclimate the creatures to new habitat. Without proper procedures, wandering tortoises may suffer from starvation, disease, predation or encounters with speeding cars. This slow-to-reproduce species can ill afford a policy of irresponsible relocation.
The HSUS, which has 683,253 members in Florida, continues to assist local volunteer groups and developers to relocate hundreds of tortoises off construction sites, and also has established a special gopher tortoise rescue fund.
-30-
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization – backed by 10 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- On the web at humanesociety.org.
