Tortoises or Trucks? Once again, gopher tortoises in Florida are being protected, relocated
The CDL course is offered by Marion Technical College, which is operated by the district. There is a national shortage of truck drivers, and the program’s focus is to help fill the needs of local companies.
Mark Vianello, the district’s executive director of the Career and Technical Education department, said the tortoise discovery means that the district cannot add its second class for several months, possibly for up to six months.
When district workers discovered the tortoise community in May, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) biologist was called to the site.
Gopher tortoises are a threatened species and are protected under state law, according to FWC’s website.
“Property owners must obtain relocation permits from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to relocate all gopher tortoises before any land clearing or development activities can take place,” the site says.
ALSO: volunteers needed in Perham, MN for Turtle Fest 2019- details in Miscellany section
Turtle News From Around the World
Conservation
USA: Sea Turtle Rescue Center at Grapevine Aquarium, TX celebrates first year of operation
USA: Georgia coast from Tybee Island to Cumberland Island seeing record numbers of nesting sea turtles (see also here)
USA: longline fishing in protected waters reinstated by government off California coast, lawsuit filed by Center for Biological Diversity and Turtle Island Restoration Network
USA: Boulder City, NV changes, increases size of wild desert tortoise habitat, has plans for solar
USA: Amos Rehabilitation Keep in Corpus Christi, TX rescuing, rehabbing stranded sea turtles, provides help hotline for public
USA: thousands of sea turtles are nesting on South Carolina beaches already, how to help them
Papua New Guinea: Duargo Community Development Association in Madang protects, educates about their leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coreacia)
Education
Buckmasters.com: learn more about how to help turtles on our roadways this nesting season
Miscellany
USA: volunteers needed in Perham, MN for Turtle Fest 2019
USA: Forgotten Coast Sea Turtle Festival in Port St. Joe, FL to celebrate 4th year with sculpture, good nesting numbers
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Photo from Ocala Star Banner.
