PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (WSVN) — Officials are searching for the person who painted the shell of a gopher tortoise in Central Florida.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shared a photo showing the tortoise with its shell painted a bright pink color.
Officials said a second tortoise with a painted shell was also reported, but it wasn’t found.
FWC said paint should never be applied to a tortoise’s shell.
“It may seem harmless, but it is illegal,” FWC said. “Painting the shells of turtles and tortoises can cause respiratory problems, allow toxic chemicals into the bloodstream and can make them more visible to predators.”
FWC said rather than catching the tortoise with a painted shell and trying to remove the paint yourself, it’s better to call Wildlife Alert because removing the paint incorrectly could cause more harm.
The tortoise captured was sent to an authorized facility to have the paint removed.
If you have any information about who may have applied the paint to these gopher tortoises in the St. Lucie County or Okeechobee County areas, you are asked to contact the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or by texting Tip@MyFWC.com from their cell phone.
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