Digging those tortoises: biologists probe earth for Georgia’s… | www.myajc.com

JESUP — The invasion came with the sound of scuffling, some scratching on the walls of his house. Part of the ceiling fell. Trapped at the rear of his home, he couldn’t get away.

Thump! Something hit him in the butt.

“And we have a tortoise!” Matt Elliott, working a remote camera, gently bumped the rear end again. It came into focus, a series of bony-looking plates, a gopher tortoise rudely interrupted from his snooze several feet below in the cool South Georgia dirt.

A state wildlife biologist, Elliott spun the cable to which the camera was attached, getting a better look — yes, no doubt about it, Gopherus polyphemus, Georgia’s official state reptile. Others crowded around to look at the tiny screen.

Some note-taking followed. It appeared to be a male, full-grown. He’d likely be spending more time outdoors soon, as the days got warmer. He’d eat tiny green leaves, maybe look for a female. And then, perhaps, Mr. Polyphemus would do his part to enhance a species whose future is far from secure.

Five biologists from the state Department of Natural Resources spent a day recently looking for tortoises near Jesup, 230 miles southeast of Atlanta. They took a series of 200-yard strolls at the Griffin Ridge Wildlife Management Area, a 5,600-acre tract of sand, live oaks and pines.

via Digging those tortoises: biologists probe earth for Georgia’s… | www.myajc.com.