Related News
Home » Feature » Animal Planet
Gopher tortoise setback
August 7, 2011, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE gopher tortoise deserves protection in several states in the southeastern US under the Endangered Species Act, but funding shortages could delay the listing for years, federal wildlife officials said recently.
There is sufficient scientific data to list the gopher tortoise as threatened in parts of Alabama, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina, said Cindy Dohner, the US Fish and Wildlife Service's regional director for the Southeast.
"But we do not have the resources to pursue the listing process at this time," she said during a conference call, noting the process can cost US$300,000 or more.
The gopher tortoise, which is sandy brown in color and can grow to up to 6.8 kilograms, will instead join a list of 251 other species designated as candidates for federal protection.
"There will be no land use changes for anyone as the result of this announcement," Dohner said. "The finding does not affect private or public landowners with new regulations."
It could be up to five years before the agency conducts studies and develops rules to give the tortoise federal protection in the Southeast, which could restrict how property owners use their land, officials said.
In the meantime, federal officials plan to work with private landowners on voluntary conservation efforts that could be partially funded by federal grants.
There is sufficient scientific data to list the gopher tortoise as threatened in parts of Alabama, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina, said Cindy Dohner, the US Fish and Wildlife Service's regional director for the Southeast.
"But we do not have the resources to pursue the listing process at this time," she said during a conference call, noting the process can cost US$300,000 or more.
The gopher tortoise, which is sandy brown in color and can grow to up to 6.8 kilograms, will instead join a list of 251 other species designated as candidates for federal protection.
"There will be no land use changes for anyone as the result of this announcement," Dohner said. "The finding does not affect private or public landowners with new regulations."
It could be up to five years before the agency conducts studies and develops rules to give the tortoise federal protection in the Southeast, which could restrict how property owners use their land, officials said.
In the meantime, federal officials plan to work with private landowners on voluntary conservation efforts that could be partially funded by federal grants.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
