Gopher Tortoise CCA

The gopher tortoise is endemic to the Southeast, and has been in population decline in recent years. State and federal representatives from Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina (states within tortoise range) formed a partnership to develop a Candidate Conservation Agreement (CCA) that will be signed and serve to implement proactive, non-regulatory management actions to protect gopher tortoise habitat and current populations, and prevent the need for USFWS listing of the species under the ESA.