SMITH: GOPHERS POLYPHEMUS ON THE ORDWAY PRESERVE


Figure 1. Map of the Katharine Ordway Preserve showing the locations of sandhill (SH) and old field (OF)
sites surveyed for gopher tortoise burrows in 1990, and the 1985 to 1991 pre-burn tortoise burrow survey
locations. Sites greater than 0.75 km inside the Preserve boundary were considered core (C) whereas those
less than 0.75 km inside the boundary were considered perimeter (P). See table 2 for a key to the pre-bur
survey locations.



checked for nests beginning in late May. I located nests by probing the sand at the
burrow entrance with a 90 cm long, stiff wire. The wire was inserted to a depth of
ca 30 cm every 3-5 cm over the entire apron. The area probed included the sand at
the entrance up to 1.5 m from the burrow opening. Nests were detected by the
sound of the wire striking the porcelain-like egg shells. This technique was
non-destructive; no eggs were broken by the wire.
 Major habitats occupied by tortoises on the Ordway Preserve include sandhill
high pine forests, old fields, and sand live oak hammocks. Burrows in all three
habitat types were checked. However, sandhill high pine is the most common
upland plant association on the Preserve (Franz and Hall 1991) and most burrows