Health at Home

Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute is located on the Atlantic coast right along the Indian River Lagoon, one of the most diverse ecosystems in the Northern Hemisphere. Because of our location, there has been an abundance of opportunity to study a variety of marine species in our local waters. However, this community is also home to several important terrestrial species that utilize marine resources and habitats.

I remember several times where I would look out of my office window and see a gopher tortoise emerging from its burrow to bask, forage, or survey its territory. I began to wonder: why are we not studying these animals that are right in our backyard? I began wandering the campus in search of these tortoises and after consulting some colleagues, I realized there were a great number of gopher tortoises utilizing our campus habitats.

Gopher tortoises are subject to a number of factors that could negatively impact their population status, including habitat fragmentation and disease. I started this project because I think it is important that we begin to understand the health status of the population of gopher tortoises right here on the Harbor Branch campus. The knowledge we gain from this first survey will help us to monitor trends in the future, and allow us to intervene if there were a major compromise to this population's health and well-being. We appreciate any support that you can provide to help protect this vulnerable species!