Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Virginia
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Relocation is an important management technique that has the potential to save individuals from mortality and bolster populations that are below the carrying capacity of their habitats. Thousands of gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) have been translocated from development sites to permitted recipient sites throughout the state of Florida, and this process will be needed more frequently as development in the state continues. For relocation programs to be successful it is critical to understand whether recipient sites are adequately supporting translocated individuals through time. This project investigates demographic outcomes for gopher tortoise populations and also devises population monitoring techniques for translocated populations.