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Article: Gopher Tortoise Research at Camp Shelby.(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Endangered Species Bulletin
- Article date:
- November 1, 2000
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2000 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), a reptile native to the southeastern United States, is declining in number throughout its range, primarily due to the degradation and loss of its habitat.
In 1987, the Fish and Wildlife Service listed gopher tortoise populations west of the Mobile and Tombigbee rivers in Alabama as threatened. This presented a challenge to public land managers, particularly the military; the Camp Shelby Training Site in southern Mississippi contains the largest population of gopher tortoises in the threatened portion of the species' range.
In 1995, the Mississippi Military Department entered into an agreement with the ...