Gopher tortoises illegally hunted
Ocala, FL (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Nov 29, 2006
County: Marion
Disposition: Open
Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!
Authorities on Nov 30 were investigating the slaughter of at least 20 gopher tortoises in Ocala.
A city worker found two bags of cleaned out tortoise shells Nov 29 afternoon in a wooded area in the city, said Officer Emily Vought of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Authorities believe the turtles were killed somewhere else sometime within the past several weeks.
"On occasion, gopher tortoises are sold off the back of trucks," Vought said. "In some circles, the reptiles are considered a delicacy."
Authorities are offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the suspects.
Gopher tortoises are protected as a species of special concern in Florida, making it illegal to kill them without a state permit issued to developers. In June, the commission voted to upgraded their status to threatened, but the decision won't go into effect until new management plans are approved, which could take more than a year. References« FL State Animal Cruelty Map
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