If you said yes to any of the above questions then join us at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Wednesday, April 9 @ 7pm for an interest meeting to learn about the volunteer opportunities available this summer at the Center.

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center was fortunate to have another exceptional group of volunteers share their Alternate Spring Break with us last week, March 23rd through March 28th. This time the group traveled all the way from the Indiana University Southeast, a good 12 hour road trip away. Is that dedication or what!

While at the GSTC, these 11 individuals assisted the Education Team with preparation for our Shell-e-brate Earth Day event, the April craft (the Diamondback Disguise), and collected used fishing line from all over Jekyll Island for our Fishing Line Recycling Project. They also worked with the Veterinary Staff to create a Commissary Food Preparation Manual, assembled the Diamondback Terrapin Monitoring kits and designed decoy eggs for the American Oystercatcher Egg Incubation Project we are participating in.

Collectively they volunteered a total of 154 hours! So on behalf of the GSTC staff and our turtle patients, we would like to extend a loggerhead-size thank you to all the IUS participants. Your contributions to the GSTC are highly noted and appreciated!

~Alicia Marin, GSTC Senior Educator

We are pleased to announce that we are now taking reservations for
the 2008 TURTLE WALKS!! These walks allow you a unique opportunity to explore the beach at night, and learn about the amazing journey of the loggerhead sea turtles nesting along the Georgia Coast and if you’re really lucky….you might encounter a nesting sea turtle! (seeing a nesting turtle is not guaranteed).

These popular programs begin with a 30-45 minute presentation at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and teach you about the natural history of sea turtles. It is then followed by a guided beach tour, with some activities, where you’ll learn about beach ecology while looking for nesting sea turtles! You may even get a chance to talk to the Nighttime Sea Turtle Patrollers and learn about the research they are conducting!

Turtle walks will be conducted June 1 – July 31 (*Walks will not be conducted on July 4) with two nightly programs every day beginning at 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm, respectively. Depending on the nesting season, the concluding date may vary. Reservations are required as group size is limited by DNR permit restrictions. Programs nearly always sell out many days in advance, so call for your reservation now!
*Participants will have a limited amount of time to briefly explore the Exhibit Gallery before their presentation begins, but the hospital area will not be accessible. To view that area you’ll need to visit the Center during normal business hours April=10am-6pm; starting May 1, 10am-7pm)

Cost: $10 adults (13+), $5 children (ages 4-12)
*This does not include general admission into the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, but we invite you to visit the Center during our regular business hours!
*Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
*Due to the time and nature of these walks, we required children to be at least 4 years of age.

For the safety of the turtles, flashlights, camera and video camera lights are not allowed on the Walks. Night vision cameras are allowed. Walk Guides will have a special, turtle-friendly, approved flashlight.

For more information please visit our website (http://www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org/) or to make your reservation please call (912) 635-4444 (credit card required for reservation).

For those interested in the early morning Hatchling Walks…unfortunately we cannot determine when these will be conducted due to the dependency on when the nesting season starts and the incubation period (which can be varied due to temperature, drought/flooding, storms, etc.). Please keep an eye on our website where we will post information as it becomes available!

Stefanie Ouellette
Education and Field Coordinator

With the arrival of April it’s time for a new recycled craft again here at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Our Egg-cellent Magnets for March were a huge success! Thanks to everyone who came by and colored one – we hope that they are now decorating refrigerators all across the country!

If you come by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center this April, you can become a diamondback terrapin by decorating a Diamondback Disguise! These disguises are meant to be worn on your forehead and were modeled after Cohen, our resident diamondback terrapin. Just color the disguise, tie the yarn around your head, and you’ve been transformed into a terrapin! We can’t wait to see kids running around the Center in these Diamondback Disguises.

Those visiting the Center in the month of April will soon be noticing some new additions to our causeway – Terrapin Crossing road signs. The month of May marks the start of the nesting season of diamondback terrapins, and a significant number of these brackish-water turtles were hit by cars last year as they came out of the marshes, searching for adequate nesting ground. The road signs are being posted to increase awareness, and the April craft at the Center is also geared to reflect just that.

Please remember that beginning in May you need to use more caution on the roads, especially the causeways and Highway 17. Be careful – you’re in Terrapin Territory!

- Emily Goczalk, Education Intern