Conservationists say they were blindsided by gopher tortoise waiver benefitting developers

Florida conservationists said they were blindsided by an executive order last month that allows developers to relocate threatened gopher tortoises anywhere in the state.

The order issued Nov. 18 was in opposition to what a state gopher tortoise study group recommended in August, which was to maintain a restriction that prevented the long-lived reptiles from being moved more than 100 miles from their original homes.

But considering the state’s pandemic-amplified construction boom, some Gopher Tortoise Technical Assistance Group members said maybe the temporary rule change, which is in effect for 90 days, shouldn’t have been such a surprise. The executive order will be part of an overall gopher tortoise discussion at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission board meeting on Wednesday.