The Gopher tortoises are indigenous to the southeastern portion of the United States. Currently, this fascinating reptile is endangered in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina. Unfortunately, the urbanization of tortoise habitats in Florida has caused concern for the survival of this species in years to come (Signore 2007). The gopher tortoise was considered threatened in Florida from 1991 to 2007. Although the tortoise is not currently on the threatened list, it is a specie of concern in Florida (Florscher 2012). For this reason, the gopher tortoises have become a special interest for researchers in south Florida. In order to save the species from possible extinction, researchers need to study the mating patterns, habitat, and nutrition of …show more content…
Frazier’s team, the experiment had its limitations. The inability to collect data from ranges outside the cameras is the most significant limitation. If tortoises mated behind the cameras or to the sides, the camera would not be able to capture that image. Furthermore, the data that we analyzed was limited to a certain season. The data in the graphs only included the mating that took place between January 6th thru January 16th. In order to reinforce our hypothesis, we would have benefitted from further data. The hypothesis that we tested is widely accepted and tested by many tortoise researchers. According to researchers, gophers prefer dense vegetation areas but with limitations. Although tortoises benefit from dense vegetation they depend on naturally occurring fires to prevent overgrowth of vegetation (Signore 2007). The dense vegetation allows burrows to be hidden from possible predators in the area. Furthermore, the dense vegetation provides as a food source for the reptiles. However, overgrown vegetation makes it difficult for tortoises to maneuver threw their environment (Aresco & Guyer