Turtle Trot & Turtle Release
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On April 25, 2009 The Tybee Island Sea Turtle Project will be hosting the 5th annual Turtle Trot, a 5K Beach Run on Tybee Island, GA. This fundraising event is to help support the Tybee Island Sea Turtle Project and kick-off the nesting season (which officially begins May 1)! Please use this link www.tybeeturtletrot.net to view the flyer for more information including times, cost, location, etc.
Following the race (~10-10:30am), in a collaborative effort between the Tybee Island Marine Science Center and the Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC), 2 loggerhead sea turtles from the GSTC will be released*: Snowball and Blizzard. The release is open to the public and will take place on the beach in front of (or near) the Tybee Island Marine Science Center.
Both of these turtles came to us from North Carolina in what we believe was a ‘cold stunning’ event. What is ‘cold stunning’? Glad you asked! Turtles are ectothermic (used to be called cold-blooded). When they get into cold water suddenly (usually less than 50 F), they become comatose because all their bodily functions depend on external temperatures. This causes them to strand and also reduces their immune system so they often have a number of secondary problems such as fungal pneumonia and bone infections.
Snowball and Blizzard will each have a satellite transmitter attached to their carapace (shell) prior to release, tentatively set to occur on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at the GSTC at approximately 10am. If you want to see this procedure, come on down to the GSTC for the day (admission fees apply).
*Please note that all releases are tentative and subject to change at any time (date, time or location), for any reason.
Hope to see you there!
Sincerely,
Stefanie Ouellette
Marine Field Programs Coordinator
April 14th, 2009 at 4:06 pm |
Hi there, we are the adoptive parents of Snowball and Blizzard. We are so excited to hear that they are going to be released. We would love to see them released live, but we are too far away
Please give both Snowball and Blizzard a huge kiss on the head for us just before you send them out to sea. Thanks so much, love Tyson (2yrs) and Kya (4yrs).
c/o Jody Moss
April 28th, 2009 at 1:34 pm |
Our class was so excited and learned so much when we were fortunate enough to visit the turtle center last week. Glad to have seen Snowball and Blizzard and our class wishes them the best.