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Gopher Tortoises Protected, Manatees Rebound

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Jun 14, 2007 8:38 am US/Eastern

Gopher Tortoises Protected, Manatees Rebound

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WEST PALM BEACH (CBS4) ― Developers can't bury gopher tortoises alive during construction anymore and manatees are no longer considered an endangered species.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation commissioners voted against allowing developers to seek permits to bury the tortoises alive rather than relocate them during construction projects. The commission also upgraded the status for the tortoise from species of special concern to threatened.

Commissioners also voted to continue with upgrading the manatee's status from endangered to threatened. That means scientists believe the species has rebounded from the brink of extinction. The move won't be finalized until the commission's September meeting.

Endangered status means an animal is at immediate risk of extinction. Threatened denotes a species could become endangered in the future if protections are not maintained.

(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

© MMIX, CBS Television Stations Inc. All Rights Reserved.