MASCOTTE -- State wildlife officials say they are investigating the deaths of 21 gopher tortoises found after a property owner plowed the land.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers discovered the tortoises Monday when they responded to a complaint from a neighbor.
The creatures were found on several acres off Bay Lake Road south of Mascotte, said fish and wildlife spokeswoman Joy Hill.
The property owner, whose name was not available, recently had plowed the area.
Investigators are looking into whether the plowing and other factors, such as the recent drought, caused the tortoise deaths.
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