Gopher tortoises find new home on Florida coast after astonishing journey to flee hurricane | Florida

Dozens of turtle gopher survived the risky sea crossing after their homes were swept through Helen Hurricane Last summer, they enjoy a new contract of life for a long time Florida The coast.

Rangers in Fort de Soto Province Park Near St. Petersburg says that before the storm in September, it was known that only eight weak species live there.

Now, after their amazing journey, the count last month confirmed 84 active burrows, indicating that turtles are quickly adapted to their new habitats after their forced evacuation of Egmont Key National Wildlife Liguge, a small island more than two miles west of Category 4.

In addition to raising increasing interest in the garden in the form of visitors who are keen to take a look at the unexpected new arrivals, turtles also provide benefits for some animals that have already lived in the environment with an area of ​​1100 acres (445 hectares).

“It is a type of main stone, which means that they participate in their burrows with other types, and there was something similar to 250 different species registered in the turtle’s turtle?”.

“Every person in the ecosystem benefits from the Goopher turtle there, and we hope to see an increase in the biological diversity in the garden. Since we have all these new burrows, other animals can use, such as East DiamondBack Diamonds, black contestants, and all different types of reptiles.

“The last time Gopher’s frog has been inserted as a species in the garden was in 2016, so it is really great to think that some of these species are really concerned that rely on the Goopher turtle to survive may return to its return.

“I don’t expect to see frogs appear everywhere, but there is definitely more chance of this before.”

Yu and her colleagues knew that the turtles had encountered water from EGMONT KEY because biologists from Eckerd College at St. Petersburg, who were studying them, drilled small holes in their shells as signs of identification.

Poor swimmers, and many are likely to drown. At least 40 was detected by a dead washing. She said that the survivors had been played on the surface and was transmitted on the surface, as Helen’s winds collected water that rises towards the shores of the mainland.

She said: “The entire event was completely lucky because they ended up in Fort de Soto and not at sea, or in some other beaches north of Saint Beach Beach and the treasure island, which is really common beaches that do not have habitats to support these creatures.”

“It could have turned differently for them.”

Their behaviors since washing them on the beach have fascinated observers. Some of the turtle, which is supposed to be shocked by its dangerous Odysse, is deeply at higher altitudes. Yu said that the majority of the burrows were dug outside the storm line in Helen.

She said, “It seems as if they knew exactly where they were going. They went a little top in the hope of not drowning by another storm. There is little intelligence there,” she said.

The most exciting is the mating behaviors that some turtle presented, indicating that the new generation of gop will wander soon.

“It is a sign that they are thrived. Be able to mate is a sign of success,” she said.

“The main point in all this is that we want to make sure that the Fort De Soto is, above all, a brutal place and a homeland for the abundance of wildlife that depends on the people who come, depends on their respect and all collective supervision of their habitats for survival.

“I think this is a really important event. It is also a good story, of course, but it is also very important in terms of environment.”