Wildlife officials in Florida have urged people to not illustrate the shells of a threatened tortoise species after several animals were found daubed with paint.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has released photos of gopher tortoises that were painted red and a shade of turquoise. The FWC said the “illegally painted” tortoises were at risk from paint fumes and from toxins that could be absorbed into the bloodstream via the shell.
Deborah Burr, gopher tortoise program coordinator at FWC, said five painted tortoises, from across the state, have been reported in recent months.
“That doesn’t sound like a lot but we didn’t hear about this happening in the state before all this,” she said. “It could be that there are youngsters who think it’s funny or people who don’t know of the harm it causes.
“This is a threatened species with protections against harassing it, which painting it definitely is. The best thing to do is admire its natural beauty. If you want to paint something, paint a rock.”
The tortoise painted red still has a ruddy stain after many hours of cleaning with a soy-based solution that was “very stressful” to the animal, Burr said.
Tortoises and freshwater turtles absorb vitamins via the sun’s UV rays, which can be blocked if their shells are painted. Their shells are also porous to liquids, meaning that paint can be toxic to tortoises.
“You should never paint the shells of turtles and gopher tortoises,” said the FWC in a statement. “While to you it may seem harmless, painting the shells of turtles and tortoises can severely compromise their health.”
The gopher tortoise is around 10in long and is the only native North American tortoise to occur east of the Mississippi river. Described by biologists as a “superb earth mover” the tortoise can dig huge burrows, with the record length of a burrow being 47ft.
The animal is considered a “keystone” species because its burrows are shared by more than 350 other species, including burrowing owls, indigo snakes, gopher crickets and opossums.
The FWC said that anyone who witnesses a gopher tortoise being harassed should call its 24-hour hotline.
