Distribute these Brochures for Gopher Tortoise Day

Get the Facts About Gopher Tortoises!

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Contribute to gopher tortoise conservation by educating your community on the importance of gopher tortoises and how to protect this threatened species! Visit the Educational Materials page on the Gopher Tortoise Day website to download brochures and fact sheets on various topics concerning gopher tortoises. These materials can be printed and distributed at your Gopher Tortoise Day event, and made available in your neighborhood, school, or local nature center to spread the word about gopher tortoises all year long. Materials include:

 

• A Guide to Living with Gopher Tortoises contains information on the importance of gopher tortoises in Florida, and what to do if you encounter one. A Spanish language version of this brochure is also available.

 

• The Safe Roads for People and Gopher Tortoises placard provides ways that you can help minimize gopher tortoise road mortality and what to do when you see one crossing the road.

 

• Before you Build contains information about what landowners should know about gopher tortoises before breaking ground on construction activities, including information about various permits.

 

• A Landowner's Guide: Managing habitat for gopher tortoises, contains information and resources on how to manage and maintain gopher tortoise habitat through activities such as prescribed burning.

 

• The Gopher Tortoises in Urban Areas fact sheet contains information for homeowners on how to keep gopher tortoises safe in their neighborhoods and ways to keep your pets away from native tortoises.

 

• A fact sheet about Waif Gopher Tortoises provides an overview about waif tortoises, how FWC handles them, and explains the function of waif recipient sites.

 

• The Commensals fact sheet explains the gopher tortoise's role as a keystone species and describes a few of the other species, called commensals, that rely on the gopher tortoise's burrows for survival.

 

• A Gopher Tortoise Coloring Book includes coloring pages of a gopher tortoise, its burrow, and commensal species. This book is a fun way for children to learn the importance of the gopher tortoise in its habitat!

 

More educational materials, including fact sheets on additional topics, a curriculum for teachers, and a list of publications, are available to download in the Education Corner at MyFWC.com/GopherTortoise.

Visit our Fun Facts page to learn more about gopher tortoises and what makes them important! Here, you will see answers to frequently-asked questions about gopher tortoises and their biology.

If you have any questions about Gopher Tortoise Day, hosting an event, or adopting a resolution, please contact the Gopher Tortoise Education & Outreach Coordinator at GTEvents@MyFWC.com or call (850) 921-1030.