SMITH: GOPHERUSPOLYPHEMUS ON THE ORDWAY PRESERVE


(Douglass and Layne 1978). Most activity is centered around the burrow, although
movements associated with social interactions often are long-range (Gourley 1969;
McRae et al. 1981b). The home range of the gopher tortoise consists of a feeding or
daily activity range centered around the burrow and an annual range that includes
longer movements for breeding and nesting forays, search for better food resources,
and periodic relocations (McRae et al. 1981b). Home range and movements in the
gopher tortoise have been described by Gourley (1969), Douglass (1976), McRae et
al. (1981b), Wright (1982), Diemer (1992), and Wilson (1990). Sample sizes in
these studies generally were small.
 Female gopher tortoises lay a single clutch of eggs per season (Iverson 1980;
Landers et. al. 1980). Most nesting occurs from mid-May to mid-June (Iverson
1977; Landers et al. 1980; Diemer 1986). Gopher tortoises show a preference for
clear, unshaded areas as nest sites (Hallinan 1923; Landers et al. 1980; Cox et al.
1987). Eggs may be deposited in the mound of excavated sand (burrow apron) at
the entrance of an adult's burrow (Hallinan 1923), although females are reported to
lay their eggs as far as 134 m from the burrow (Landers et al. 1980).
 Clutch size in the gopher tortoise varies geographically. In South Carolina,
Wright (1982) reported a mean clutch size of 3.8 (n = 23). In north-central Florida,
average clutch sizes range from 5.0 to 6.7 (Hallinan 1923; Iverson 1980; Taylor
1982b; Diemer 1986). The largest clutch size records are from central and south
Florida. Burke (1987) reported a mean clutch size of 8.9 on a Palm Beach County
site (n = 11). Clutches of 25 and 21 eggs were reported from two central Florida
tortoises (Godley 1989; L. Macdonald pers. comm.). Clutch size in the gopher
tortoise, as with other turtles, is positively correlated with female carapace length
(Iverson 1977; Landers et al. 1980; Jackson 1988; Elgar and Heaphy 1989).
 The incubation period also varies geographically, probably reflecting
variation in average annual temperature (Landers et al. 1980). For example, the
incubation period in north-central Florida is 80 to 90 days (Iverson 1980). In
contrast, the reported incubation time is 110 days at the northern extreme of the
tortoise's range in South Carolina (Wright 1982).
 Predation of gopher tortoise nests is high, particularly in the week after egg
 deposition (Auffenberg and Weaver 1969). At a southwest Georgia site, 89% of
 nests left unprotected were destroyed shortly after deposition (Landers et al. 1980).
 In South Carolina, Wright (1982) reported a 74% nest predation rate. Nest
 predators include gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), nine-banded armadillos
 (Dasypus novemcinctus), striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), and opossums
 (Didelphis virginiana) (Douglass and Winegarner 1977; Landers et al. 1980;
 Diemer 1986; Marshall 1987). However, raccoons (Procyon lotor) are undoubtedly
 the most common mammalian predator (Hallinan 1923; Landers et al. 1980;
 Diemer 1986). Snakes also may be responsible for nest predation (Landers et al.
 1980).
 In May 1989, I began field studies on the large gopher tortoise population
 inhabiting the Katharine Ordway Preserve-Swisher Memorial Sanctuary, Putnam