Demography of the Tortoise Gopherus polyphemus in Northern Florida

The demography of gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) in northern Florida was investigated from 1981 to 1987 through burrow surveys and mark-recapture efforts. The number of burrows showing active sign increased in April, peaked in July, and remained high through October. The burrow surveys also revealed a continuous cycle of burrow creation and abandonment. The ratio of captured gopher tortoises to burrows (active and inactive) varied among years and study sites; the range was 0.45-0.69. A total of 372 tortoises was captured, marked, and measured on three sites. Recapture rates for juveniles were consistently low. Percentages of adult tortoises in the three populations ranged from 40-62%. Female to male sex ratios of captured tortoises varied annually from 1:1 to 1:2.