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Article: Georgia biology professor relocates threatened gopher tortoise species.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
- Article date:
- August 29, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News 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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HAMILTON, Ga. _ William S. Birkhead clutched the estimated 20-year-old gopher tortoise and lifted it onto his knee.
The ichthyologist and Columbus State University biology professor met this tortoise before. He recognized it by a hole drilled in its shell.
Birkhead marked it in 1996 while heading a project to relocate some 36 gopher tortoises from a state widening project along Georgia 96 between Butler and Junction City.
Birkhead and his students placed the tortoises on an 825-acre tract owned by Mead Coated Board Co. near Geneva set aside for tortoise habitat. This tortoise was part of a community of tortoises living on the tract before the ...