Trail-Camera Monitoring of Gopher Tortoise Burrows and the Commensal Wildlife Across South Florida Natural Areas

Trail-Camera Monitoring of Gopher Tortoise Burrows and the Commensal Wildlife Across South Florida Natural Areas

Alvin Sherman Library

Gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) are a keystone species whose burrows provide essential shelter for numerous commensal organisms in Florida's upland ecosystems. Understanding tortoise behavior and the wildlife activity that occurs around burrow entrances is critical for informing conservation management and public outreach. This project used motion-triggered trail cameras to document gopher tortoise activity and burrow-associated wildlife across multiple protected natural areas in South Florida. At each natural area, three active burrows were selected and monitored, resulting in three trail cameras deployed per site and nine cameras deployed in total. All cameras operated continuously over an extended observation period. The collected footage recorded a variety of vertebrate species interacting with the burrow entrances, including raccoons, squirrels, iguanas, and small mammals. The cameras also captured detailed behavioral observations of gopher tortoises themselves, such as daily activity patterns, mate-seeking behavior, and territorial displays occurring near the burrow mouth. Those non-invasive monitoring methods allowed for long-term behavioral documentation with minimal disturbance to the animals. In addition to data collection, this project included a public outreach component in the form of an educational conservation website. This platform summarizes key findings, highlights the ecological importance and protected status of gopher tortoises, and provides accessible information aimed at increasing public awareness and promoting habitat stewardship. Together, the monitoring results and outreach initiative contribute to a broader understanding of gopher tortoise ecology and support ongoing conservation efforts in South Florida.