Please join us this Friday, May 29, 2009 for the release of at least 2 of our loggerhead sea turtle patients; Aussie and Betty!

BETTY

AUSSIE

Where: North side of the Convention Center, Jekyll Island, GAWhen: Friday, May 29, 2009

Time: 12:00 pm

*As always, please note that times, dates and locations of all releases are subject to change at any time, for any reason.  Releases are open to the public and are first come, first serve. 

We look forward to seeing you Friday!

Sincerely,
Stefanie Ouellette
Marine Field Programs Coordinator

In honor of our two year anniversary in June, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and Jekyll Island are celebrating with an entire week of fun-filled events!  Nest Fest 2009 festivities kick-off Monday, June 8^th and continue throughout the week with our finale party on Saturday, June 13^th. 

Join us Monday evening at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center for a discussion with Director and Veterinarian, Dr. Terry Norton. From 5:30-7:00 pm, hear about the Georgia Sea Turtle Center-Two Years Later and Beyond; what we’ve accomplished since opening our doors and how we’re forging ahead with future plans. Free with paid admission to the center. Reservations required. 

Come back Tuesday evening, same time, same place for Turtles Are Not the Only Nesters on Jekyll Island. Island resident beekeeper Jim Gertis will talk about the benefits of honey followed by Lydia Thompson, Chief Naturalist for Wild Birds Unlimited, and her focus on Jekyll’s nesting colony of Wilson’s Plovers.  Free with paid admission to the center. Reservations required. 

Bring the kids Wednesday evening from 7:00-9:00 for GSTC Movie Night featuring Finding Nemo. Don’t forget your favorite pillow and blanket for this under-the-sea flick! Free with paid admission to the center. Reservations required. 

Help us clean up Jekyll’s beach as sea turtle nesting season is underway! Meet at the Beackdeck at 10:00 am for a Beach Sweep. No need to register, just bring yourself! 

Enjoy Breakfast with Scute and Pajama Tour Thursday morning at 8:30-10 am. Bring the whole family for a catered breakfast on the lawn of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and a visit from Scute, the Loggerhead Sea Turtle Mascot! All kids are encouraged to wear their pajamas for an early morning visit the sea turtles! $11 per person, includes breakfast and admission to the Center. Reservations required. 

For the grand finale, head to the Nest Fest Party at the Beachdeck on Saturday, June 13 for sun, sand and a sea turtle release! Join the Georgia Sea Turtle Center Staff and local organizations from 12-4pm for interactive educational activities, arts and crafts, and the Kid’s Turtle Crawl!

Check out www.jekyllisland.com/nestfest for complete event details, schedules and registration information!

~Kelly O’Keefe, Educator

Calling all nature lovers!  Join the GSTC Staff this Saturday, May 16, 2009 as we head down to Amelia Island, Florida for the 2009 Wild Amelia Nature Festival.  Each year Wild Amelia chooses a different local critter to highlight.  The first year, 2007, was the Painted Bunting.  Last year, 2008, was the Gopher Tortoise.  And this year they have chosen the Northern Right Whale.  These whales come to the waters off Amelia Island each year to give birth.  With their numbers dwindling (only about 350 left), it’s vital that we learn how to protect them.

The Wild Amelia Nature Festival will be held from 10am-3pm at the Atlantic Recreation Center on Amelia Island.  This is the GSTC’s second year participating in this conservation based event and we are honored and excited to be apart of it.  Our Education Staff will be present in both the Kids Niche and the Exhibit Hall, with turtle-tastic games, crafts and specimens!  And that’s not all - around 11am the GSTC will be releasing some of our green sea turtle patients too at Main Beach! 

Come show your SEA-port for the sea turtles, northern right whales and our friends on Amelia Island.

~Alicia Marin

Education Coordinator

We are happy to announce that we recently had 2 very successful releases!  Both releases were conducted as a collaborative effort with other facilities involved in sea turtle conservation: Tybee Island Marine Science Center, Tybee Island, GA and the New England Aquarium in Boston, MA.

Tybee Island Release:

Snowball

Blizzard

Chilly Willy

Nikon

The Tybee Island Release took place on Saturday, April 25, 2009 following the Marine Science Center’s annual Turtle Trot (please see a previous BLOG about this event!).  GSTC staff accompanied the turtles on their journey to Tybee Island early that morning and all arrived safely.  At approximately 10am, 4 turtles: Snowball & Blizzard, both loggerhead sea turtles and Chilly Willy and Nikon, both green sea turtles, were released back into the wild!  Snowball & Blizzard had a satellite transmitters attached to their shells a few days prior to their release.  These transmitters are part of an ongoing research opportunity through the GSTC where we are gaining valuable information on sea turtle behavior, foraging grounds, mating/nesting grounds, and migratory pathways.  Click the turtle’s name to view their tracking page! SNOWBALL BLIZZARD

New England Aquarium Release:

On Wednesday, April 29, 2009 2 staff members from the New England Aquarium (NEAq) drove 10 rehabilitated sea turtles down to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, GA.  The group consisted of 2 loggerheads, 1 green and 7 Kemps ridley sea turtles.  All but one Kemp’s ridely, Route, were to be released.  Route will remain at the GSTC a while longer to recover from his/her injuries received from a boat collision. So stop on by and see him/her!  The other 9 sea turtles were joined by 2 juvenile green sea turtles from the GSTC,

Cruella de Vil

Cruella de Vil and Pilot Drew, for a release on Jekyll Island.  Some of you might remember that Cruella actually came to us from the NEAq in 2007 as one of the ‘Cold Stunned 7′.  All 11 sea turtles made it safely to the sea to continue their wild existence!

NEAq greens and kemps

We’d like to thank the Tybee Marine Science Center and the New England Aquarium for their time and efforts in sea turtle conservation and look forward to working with them in the future!

Sincerely,
Stefanie Ouellette
Marine Field Programs Coordinator

Join us at the Brunswick Glynn County Library (208 Gloucester Street) for our May focus class from 7-8pm on Monday, May 18.  These educational classes are FREE and open to the public!

This month’s topic is Diamondback Terrapin Conservation!

Click here for more information on this class and upcoming classes.

I hope to see you at this turtle-rific lecture series.

~Sarah Eckert, Educator