Local News
Gopher tortoises topic of Archbold talk
Highlands Today
Published: March 1, 2013
VENUS - Gopher tortoises are a conspicuous resident of Florida's sandy uplands, butPublished: March 1, 2013
how much do we really know about these long-lived reptiles?
Research at Archbold Biological Station and elsewhere has shed light on the lives of these tortoises and the many other animals that use their burrows.
At 2 p.m. Sunday, Archbold biologist and herpetology program director Betsie Rothermel will give a public presentation on these long-lived reptiles that are also threatened.
The "Gopher Tortoises: Long-Lived Landlords of the Florida Scrub" lecture and presentation will be followed by a guided tour of the nature trail in the scrub habitat.
"Rothermel will answer some of the most common (and not-so-common) questions about tortoises," states a news release.
For example, how long do gopher tortoises live? Do gopher tortoises have busy social lives? Do they use more than one burrow?
The guided tour starts at 3 p.m.
This lecture is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund.
The grant is supporting a portion of Archbold's research, public education and habitat restoration efforts for this threatened species, the news release adds.
The lecture is in the new Frances Archbold Hufty Learning Center at the Archbold Biological Station, 123 Main Drive, Venus.
Archbold Biological Station, established in 1941, is the primary division of Archbold Expeditions, and is a not-for-profit independent research institution in central Florida.
The station is dedicated to long-term ecological research.
The presentation is free but those who take the tour are requested to make a donation. No reservations are required for those interested in attending.