Gopher Tortoise.jpg

A gopher tortoise. (File photo)

WING, Alabama -- Law enforcement officers in Covington County made an unusual find at a DUI checkpoint recently, when a man was arrested for attempting to transport six protected gopher tortoises over state lines to Florida. A conservation officer with the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) said the suspect, Micah McKinney of Ponce de Leon, Fla., planned to consume the tortoises.

According to a news release from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, McKinney was charged with one count of possession of a non-game species, a misdemeanor and the animals were released into suitable habitat. WFF enforcement officer Randall Lee said the charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a substantial fine.

In Alabama, the gopher tortoise is a species of high conservation concern that is protected by state law. It is also listed as federally threatened in Washington, Mobile and Choctaw counties. The gopher tortoise is also protected in Florida, and is being considered for further protection by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Under the federal Lacy Act it is a crime to transport illegally taken wildlife across state lines.

"As a keystone species, gopher tortoises are an integral part of their environment," said Kevin Dodd, WFF Chief of Enforcement. "These land turtles dig burrows up to 9 feet deep and 20 to 30 feet long with a large chamber at the bottom. The burrows are used as shelter by hundreds of other species including the federally threatened Eastern indigo snake."

While there are several tortoise species in North America, the gopher tortoise is confined to the far southeastern U.S., mainly in the coastal plains. In Alabama, gopher tortoise numbers have declined in most of its range, partly due to land development.

"Historically, gopher tortoises were utilized for food in many rural areas of south Alabama," Dodd said. "The recent arrest in Covington County is a reminder that many persons still don't understand or appreciate the fragile nature of some wildlife populations such as the gopher tortoise. Without a doubt, it is always best to leave gopher tortoises in the wild."