Every tuesday from 10:30-11:30am bring your hatchlings(2-4yrs) for Turtle Tales, an hour of turtle inspired stories and crafts. Join us on November 6th as we read Turtles and make turtle nests! Space is limited and reservations are required.

For more information or to register for a Turtle Tales program please call (912)635-4444.

~Sarah Mathias, Education Intern

Looking for a way to get into the Halloween spirit? Well, put on that costume and head on down to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center! This Sunday, October 28th from 12-5pm you can trick or treat with the sea turtles at the first annual Turtleween!

We will have turtle-inspired games and crafts for kids of all ages, including face painting, cookie decorating, pumpkin painting, and more!

Come in costume and get $1 off admission! All kids wearing their most creative, original turtle costume will be entered in our costume contest.

Bring your treat bucket or design one here, and come trick or treat with the GSTC staff. We will all be in costume and we hope you will too! You gotta come check out our costumes! We’ll give you a hint… what do sea turtles eat?

This event is free with paid admission to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. For more information, call (912) 635-4076.

~Alicia Marin, Public Outreach Educator

Two beautiful loggerhead turtles, rescued after stranding on Northern Florida beaches, are now receiving care at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island.

Bailey (top photo), a 95-pound turtle was found on the beach near Mayport Naval Station on Thursday, October 18. Allen Foley of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission retrieved her from the beach and transferred her to GSTC Aquarist Michelle Kaylor and GSTC Director Dr. Bill Irwin. She was then rushed to the center for tests and treatment. Similarly, Marina (bottom photo), a 75-pound loggerhead, was found on Jacksonville Beach Monday, October 22 and was transferred from Foley to Irwin in what has become a model example of inter-agency and inter-state cooperation resulting in these turtles receiving immediate state-of-the-art treatment.

Both patients are very lethargic with low heart rates and very little peripheral response. Each had very little new epiobiota load (organisms growing on their skin) and blood tests showed that they were not severely debilitated suggesting that they had only recently succumbed to their illnesses. Though definitive tests are still pending, a neuron-toxin, such as that produced by the recent Red Tide events in Northern Florida waters, is the most likely candidate as the cause of the turtles’ condition. Both turtles are now under the care of Dr. Terry Norton at the GSTC where they are receiving fluid treatment to flush the toxin from their system as well as medications to maintain their cardiovascular function and to fight potential secondary infections that are common with stranded turtles.

People often ask where we get our turtles here at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center…the answer..from all over, but a lot of the turtles that have come in are brought to us by community members that came to the center and remembered we were here to help!

Most recently we had two turtles, Cheese and Captiain Hook(less), that came in and were able to be released. Both of which were brought to us from residents of Glynn County. We were then lucky enough to be able to work with both of them for their release.

Cheese, a Florida softshell, was hit by a car on St. Simons Island and Natalie and Barb Murrah scooped him up and met a volunteer half way and Cheese came to stay at the center. With a course of antibiotics, wound cleaning, and some tasty fish under his belt, we took him back over to St. Simons and released him in the Murrah’s pond.

Captain Hook(less), a diamondback terrapin, was brought to the center by Jane Dale and Peggy Edmonds. They had been at their dock and watched a local fisherman accidentally hook her. They brought her to the center and staff removed the hook. After a few days and some antibiotics, super volunteer Jane met them and released her back into the marsh!

These are just two of the numerous injured turtles brought to the GSTC from members of the community. Even though we specialize in sea turtles, we will help a wild turtle of any species in need of medical care and look forward to continuing to work with community members throughout Southeast Georgia.

~Jeannie Miller, Aquarist

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center now looks like the destination landmark that it is. Check out our new lettering!