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Arrest Highlights Importance of Leaving Wildlife in the Wild

Friday, October 10, 2014

A recent DUI arrest of a Florida man in Wing, Ala., yielded an unexpected find, the illegal possession of six gopher tortoises. Micah T. McKinney, 33, of Ponce de Leon, Fla., was attempting to transport the animals to Florida when he was stopped at a security checkpoint in Covington County. According to a conservation officer with the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF), McKinney planned to consume the tortoises. The animals were released into suitable habitat.

Under the federal Lacy Act it is a crime to transport illegally taken wildlife across state lines. In Alabama, the gopher tortoise is a species of high conservation concern that is protected by state law. It is also listed as federally threatened in Washington, Mobile and Choctaw counties. The gopher tortoise is also being considered for further protection by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

“In this case, six tortoises were confiscated, one of which he claimed to have brought into the state from Florida,” said Randall Lee, WFF Conservation Enforcement Officer. “This type of violation is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a substantial fine.”

McKinney was charged with one count of possession of a nongame species.

It may seem harmless to possess certain wildlife such as a gopher tortoise, but due to its low reproductive rate and its importance as a keystone species, leaving these animals in the wild is important to their survival.

“As a keystone species, gopher tortoises are an integral part of their environment,” said Kevin Dodd, WFF Chief of Enforcement. “These land turtles dig burrows up to 9 feet deep and 20 to 30 feet long with a large chamber at the bottom. The burrows are used as shelter by hundreds of other species including the federally threatened Eastern indigo snake.”

While there are several tortoise species in North America, the gopher tortoise is confined to the far southeastern U.S., mainly in the coastal plains. In Alabama, gopher tortoise numbers have declined in most of its range. One of the contributing factors in that decline is habitat degradation. Information and education are important factors in preventing cases involving captive wildlife.

“Historically, gopher tortoises were utilized for food in many rural areas of south Alabama,” Dodd said. “The recent arrest in Covington County is a reminder that many persons still don’t understand or appreciate the fragile nature of some wildlife populations such as the gopher tortoise. Without a doubt, it is always best to leave gopher tortoises in the wild.”

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