Date of Award
5-2026
Degree Type
Thesis-Restricted
Degree Name
M.S.
Degree Program
Biological Sciences
Department
Biological Sciences
Major Professor
Rachel Clostio
Second Advisor
Daniel Greene
Third Advisor
Simon Lailvaux
Abstract
The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is a keystone species and ecosystem engineer in southern pine ecosystems. Western populations, including those in Louisiana, are federally listed as threatened and face continued declines due to habitat loss, poor habitat management, and low recruitment. This study evaluated reproductive ecology at two Louisiana sites, Ben’s Creek and Sandy Hollow Wildlife Management Area, with two objectives: (1) assess the effectiveness of AI-assisted camera trap image sorting for an underrepresented reptile and (2) evaluate temporal, environmental, and social factors influencing mating behavior. Wildlife Insights showed high overall classification accuracy and reduced image processing time but performed poorly for reptiles. Across two years, mounting activity peaked in mid-summer and occurred most frequently during evening hours and during warmer temperatures. Time of day significantly influenced mating activity, while cover type was not a strong predictor. Mating behaviors revealed limited male participation, suggesting unequal reproductive contribution within Louisiana populations.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Mailhos, Emily R., "Life History Traits of Federally Threatened Gopher Tortoises at the Western Edge of Their Range: Insights from Camera Traps and AI" (2026). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 3345.
https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/3345
Rights
The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.