Gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) are diurnal reptiles that dig extensive burrows which provide shelter from extreme weather and predators. Although diurnal, gopher tortoises have been hypothesized to emerge during rainstorms at night. Our study investigated the relationship between nocturnal gopher tortoise activity, precipitation, and temperature to determine potential environmental factors influencing nocturnal behavior. We installed 20 infrared cameras, two each at 10 burrows, at Fort De Soto Park, a barrier island complex located in Tampa Bay, Florida from March 2025 to February 2026. After separating out nocturnal observations and sorting them based on time in relation to astronomical twilight (N=58, dusk=29, night=24, dawn=4), we used a multinomial regression model to determine if temperature or precipitation influenced the time of night tortoises were most active. We found tortoises were more likely to stay active at dusk when there was no rain present, but more likely to be active past astronomical twilight when rain was present (p=0.041). We also observed  that tortoises were more likely to be active at dusk during warmer temperatures but only become active after astronomical twilight when temperatures were colder (p=0.001). These results suggest that rain and cool temperatures are likely to be a significant driver for sporadic nocturnal activity, where tortoises potentially take advantage of conditions to hydrate and forage. Nocturnal activity in correlation with high precipitation aligns with previously published observations, though the influence of temperature offers novel findings for its role in nocturnal activity patterns. 

For more information: lndutkewych@eckerd.edu