Friends of St. Sebastian River Meeting

Joann McGrath is a massage therapist by professional, and a nature lover by passion. Animal rescue is part of that passion, having adopted special-needs dogs over the past 20 years. That passion has continued throughout her life, leading to her desire to protect gopher tortoises, and to start the Gopher Tortoise Alliance in 2023. Their members have a variety of wildlife expertise, and all are passionate about protecting the tortoise, its eggs, burrows, and habitat. Gopher tortoises are a keystone species and listed as “threatened” in Florida. They are a “commensal” reptile in that their burrows are shared by more than 350 other species, some of which are threatened themselves.

Join the Friends of St. Sebastian River on Tuesday, January 23, 6pm at the North Indian River County Library, 1001 Sebastian Blvd. for Joann’s discussion of the gopher tortoise, its history, habitat, food, and challenges it faces here in Indian River County. Our meeting is free, and everyone is welcome to attend. For more information, visit our website at www.fssr.org or call 772-202-0501. For more information about the Gopher Tortoise Alliance, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/tortoiseteamirc.