and Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agents
Tortoises are cute but they can also be destructive. If a tortoise burrows under your home, it can affect the integrity of the structure. Unfortunately, you cannot capture a tortoise, collapse or damage its burrow, or even touch a tortoise even if it is damaging your home because it is against the law! First, you have to have a Gopher Tortoise survey, then get a Gopher Tortoise permit, and then hire someone who is authorized to relocate the tortoise.
The Threatened Species called the Gopher Tortoise has been around for a very long time and they live throughout Florida, Georgia, and several other states nearby. They can be found in different types of landscapes...beaches, grassy areas, hills, forests, and yes, many people's yards. Because they are so pervasive, a Gopher Tortoise Survey should be performed before clearing land or building in Florida. The cost of a Gopher Tortoise Survey can be from $290 (our starting price) to thousands of dollars depending on the size, location, and density of the property.
In Florida, some Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent surveyors have encountered rattlesnakes, alligators, and many other wild animals. The tortoise creates a burrow into the ground at a 45 degree angle and can go as deep as 25 feet. They come out during warm weather (over 50 degrees) to enjoy the sun and forage for food. They eat many types of grasses, fruits, and vegetables.
The burrows can harbor other animals and studies have shown that nearly 350 other species are found sharing the burrows. The State of Florida discourages the transport of these gentle animals and it is against the law to touch the tortoise without a permit because they are a threatened species. If you see a turtle crossing the road, it is better to warn other drivers than to take the turtle out of the road because of the law. Good people, even though they are saving the lives of the turtle, have received up to $500 in fines!
The costs for building in Florida can increase dramatically if there are more than 10 burrows found on your land that need to be moved. If the turtle has to be moved the government charges between $208 - $3047 per turtle in additional to the costs of an Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent to perform the move. We offer our services at a competitive price because we know how the costs can add up and affect the American Dream.
Most removals by others will cost over $3000 just to move it onto your property! If the property has more than 10 burrows then the tortoises must be moved offsite per state law. If more than 5 are taken off the property then the costs increases between $300-$3047 per turtle just for the permit, not the actual fee charged by the authorized agent or a recipient site! What is a recipient site? A recipient site is the place who is willing to take in the tortoise. The recipient site may charge between $600-$3500 per tortoise, but this price varies depending on the availability. As availability becomes scarce, the site charges more per tortoise.
Please see the Gopher Tortoise Permitting Guidelines below to learn more about it. These unforeseen added costs has caused resentment for the tortoise, especially since there are so many of them but we hope that you will look past the government's intrusion and remember how cute the gopher tortoise is! Nobody wants to harm the tortoise so let's work together to help the Gopher Tortoises!
What does a survey entail?
An example of a survey is when the Authorized Agent stands at the southeast corner of the property and walks west to the other side of the property looking for tortoise burrows. Once at the west corner of the property they turn north, walk about 5 feet, turn east and go back to the east side of the property again. They continue this pattern left to right then right to left every 5' looking for tortoises until they reach the back corner of the property. When a burrow is found, the coordinates are recorded and the burrow is marked. This whole process can take up to 2 hours for 1 acre if it is mostly a meadow but if the property is dense with palmettos, underbrush, wild life, banana spiders, and trees, it can take much longer. The Florida heat can also make the trek more difficult when large properties easily consume up to 8 hours. It is virtually impossible to survey more than 10 acres in a day carrying the equipment we need.
How long does a Gopher Tortoise permit take?
The government tell us that it can take them up to 90 days to approve a permit to move a tortoise but it rarely takes more than 2 weeks.
How long does a capture take?
Most bucket trapping captures take 3-14 days in warm weather. Once captured, the tortoise is set up in a pen at the back of the property so it is not in the development site. The law requires it to be pent up for not more than 10 days in an area that has new man-made burrows and with which food and water will be supplied on a daily basis.
Timing is everything when it comes to a build. A tortoise survey is good for 90 days so as soon as you know the construction start date, subtract 90 days from that for the survey. Once you know a tortoise needs to be moved and you have a site plan, you should begin the permitting process. When it comes to building a home, any and all delays will cost you money, especially if you go through a custom builder. Interest rates are difficult to lock in so increases can add thousands of dollars to your mortgage.
We try to keep our prices down so building a home does not come with any large surprises but we can only provide you with OUR costs. The government has costs of their own. Because there is not a lot of land to move the tortoise to, they prefer you to voluntarily let the tortoise live on your property. There are sacrifices to such an arrangement such as you will not be able to fence in a tortoise unless you provide food and water to your little friend. Remember... you cannot touch the tortoise!
An alternative to bucket trapping is using the excavation method. It is faster and usually costs over $3000 per day but because it uses heavy machinery, we do not offer that option.
If a tortoise capture becomes an offsite move, or includes some other problem, the government charges higher rates. So our charges will pass the government charges on to you.
*This is an attempt at giving you an idea of what charges are involved. Without more information on your particular case, it is difficult to guarantee any costs or charges. We want you to achieve your American Dream so we work hard at keeping costs down!
To see the most recent government fees go to myfwc
TKC Enterprises USA, LLC cares about the tortoise, but it also cares about the homeowner. Humans are our species and we want you to have the quality of life you have worked hard for. With that said, the Gopher Tortoise is a threatened species and both you and I have the ability to help them.
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