Buried alive? Gopher tortoise burrows collapsed in Lehigh Acres; major work halted 30 days

Collapsed burrows. Alarmed neighbors. Slow agency response.

The destruction of a once-thriving gopher tortoise community in Lehigh Acres last week typifies what’s happening to the threatened species throughout Southwest Florida, advocates say.

The state wildlife agency finally put a halt to heavy equipment work on two adjoining Carbon and Carpenter Street properties Thursday, but not until a tractor had rolled over several tortoises’ homes, likely trapping their occupants underground.