S2S joins FWC Ridge Rangers for Gopher Tortoise Research at Highlands Hammock State Park

Each Turtle was labeled to ensure they were returned to the exact location where it was found! Great Care was taken to ensure the turtles were safe and hydrated!

S2S team member Adrian Stebbins joined Jonathan Foligno, lead biologist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commision’s Ridge Rangers for a Gopher Tortoise Survey at Highlands Hammock State Park. Jonathan leads a team of volunteers who complete conservation volunteer projects all over the area in Central Florida. He invited Adrian to join an important Gopher Tortoise Survey working to better understand a virus which is affecting the local Gopher Tortoise population in Central Florida. Adrian and other Ridge Rangers searched through Highlands Hammock State Park to find and deliver Gopher Tortoise to local FWC scientists who cared for the tortoises and ran tests to better understand their health. Each tortoise was returned to the exact place it was found, and the day proved to be both interesting and fun!

You can learn more about the work of Jonathan Foligno and the Ridge Rangers at https://myfwc.com/get-involved/volunteer/regional-programs/ridge-rangers/.

The Telemetry team gets together before going out to find Gopher Tortoises at Highlands Hammock State Park!