Response of Gopher Tortoises to Habitat Manipulation by Prescribed Burning: Can Forested Areas Adjacent to Training Areas Be Improved

The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is a terrestrial reptile that was once quite plentiful throughout the Southeastern United States from South Carolina into Louisiana. However, because of factors such as habitat loss to agriculture and urbanization, and human and animal predation, their numbers have been in decline for the past several decades. In addition to population decline throughout its range, the tortoise has maintained only a limited, precarious existence in extreme southern South Carolina and extreme eastern Louisiana. Camp Shelby, Mississippi, supports one of the largest tortoise populations within the federally listed, western range of the tortoise. However, within the military use areas, the animal shows a habitat preference for the artificially maintained training openings in the forest, placing it at greater risk for accidental injury. This report describes attempts that have been made to determine what type and degree of habitat changes will be necessary to make more suitable tortoise habitat available.