Have you ever held on to a particular piece of trash, thinking to yourself, “I better hold on to this; I may want to use it again  in the future?” Well, maybe YOU haven’t but the Education Staff at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center sure has! We have a whole room devoted to glorious goodies from the garbage! We often collect materials that would otherwise be on their way to a landfill to make unique sea turtle crafts. The 2010 Litter Critter Contest is a perfect example of our unwillingness to part with perfectly good trash.

The Litter Critter Contest has been designed to encourage local Glynn County 3^rd graders to be eco-friendly and sea turtle friendly by creating sea turtles out of recycled materials as part of the Sea Turtle Education Project (STEP).   Students will learn how sea turtles are affected by human activities both on land and in coastal communities. Additionally, they learn that by recycling in their classroom and at home, they can actually help conserve an endangered species. This contest also makes students more aware of their consumption, whether the items they use can or can not be recycled and what their recycling options are in Glynn County.

After completing the STEP educational programs, the GSTC will work with Elementary art teachers, classroom teachers, and students to create a sea turtle out of recycled materials. Last week, the GSTC staff began visiting local schools to assist the students in creating these works of art. Once complete, the recycled sea turtles will be placed in a central location in the school where the students, teachers, and school personnel will have the opportunity to vote on their top three. Those three will then be placed in the Litter Critter Contest and compete against recycled sea turtles submitted by students from other Glynn County Schools.

These recycled sea turtles will be on display at following locations:

• Saint Simons Island Library, March 23 – April 4^th
• Brunswick Library, April 5- April 10^th
• Georgia Sea Turtle Center, April 12- April 17^th
• GSTC website March 23 - April 16th

We invite the community and our virtual guests to visit these locations to vote on their favorite Litter Critter. The Litter Critter Contest finalists will be announced at the 2010 Shell-e-brate Earth Day Event at the GSTC on Saturday, April 17.

Many thanks to all Glynn County art teachers and students, for letting us visit their classrooms to make recycled masterpieces!

~Alicia B. Marin, GSTC Education Coordinator

On February 11^th and 12^th Teddy, Renee, and I went to Savannah for the Georgia Science Teacher Association (GSTA) Annual Conference. Our time was spent presenting, tabling, and attending various seminars. Our presentation, Turtles for Tomorrow, focused on the Center’s three main goals of research, conservation, and education; highlighted upcoming events including Shell-e-brate Earth Day, Nest Fest, and Sea Turtle Camp; and showcased our new Turtle Tracker magnetic display board (generously funded by the Gopher Tortoise Council) during our program “Turtles, Tortoises, and Terrapins…Oh My!”. While tabling in the exhibit hall we made several contacts, had a blast teaching about sea turtles through Tic-Tac-Turtle, and debuted our newest outreach option of My Sea Turtle Journey To Go (more information to come soon). Teddy, Renee, and I also had the opportunity to participate in several seminars including Sand: Up Close and Personal, Water WOW!, Learning and Teaching Science from the Inside Out, and Georgia’s Habitats. Overall, our time at the GSTA Conference “inspired, ignited, and impacted” us to make science come alive through educating others about sea turtles and conservation!

Melissa Q. Daniel, Education Member

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is proud to present our 2nd annual Sea Turtle Camp program!  We invite children ages 6 to 12 to join us for the ultimate camp experience as junior conservationists!  Come be a part of this unique program with fun-in-the-sun activities, sand adventures and unforgettable sea turtles!  You’ll have the opportunity to learn about the five species of local sea turtles, explore the coastal environment through dynamic activities and, of course, visit with our sea turtle patients!

This year we are hosting four weeks of Sea Turtle Camp!  See below for dates and times:

Week of                                 Ages                            Time

June 7 - 11                             10-12                          10:00am to 3:00pm

June 14 - 18                          6-9                               10:00am to 3:00pm

June 21 - 25                          10-12                          10:00am to 3:00pm

June 28 - July 2                    6-9                             10:00am to 3:00pm

Space is limited and reservations are required. You don’t want to miss it, so make your reservation now!

Please visit our Sea Turtle Camp website or contact Alicia Marin at (912) 635-4076 for more information .

~Alicia B. Marin, Education Coordinator

EMMA’S DILEMMA

The ocean is the home to a little turtle I know.

I must warn you that her story contains some sorrow.

My little friend’s name is Emma, and she has a dilemma.

Sometimes, turtles get injured when they surface to breathe air.

A boat moving forward may bump into one there.

A propeller moves a boat forward; that is it’s purpose.

Emma and a boat collided at the ocean’s surface.

Injured Emma had washed ashore. We say, “She stranded.”

Don’t worry. She was not left abandoned.

Scientists picked her up and brought her here, fast.

The vet and rehab staff weren’t sure how long she’d last.

Her wound was severe; so she looked rather sickly.

We use honey to help heal Emma quickly.

A vacuum on her bandage at night helped Emma to sleep tight.

We wanted her shell to scar and be well.

Now, here is the issue.

She has infection in one type of tissue.

She is losing strength in her bones, which means she is fragile.

Wild sea turtles need to be strong and agile.

We worry for little Emma because of her dilemma.

We are still using honey on Emma’s shell.

We are also giving her antibiotics so that her infected bones won’t swell.

If you are saddened by Emma’s situation, you may feel compelled to make a donation.

We would appreciate any help we can get so that we will be less likely to fret.

If you live near, come and see our Emma, dear.

If you live far away, do not delay.  Read Emma’s story on this site, today.

~Amanda Noble, Education Member~

If you find a turtle on the beach that looks sick or injured, like Emma:

Call 1-800-2SAVE ME

For more tips, follow this link:

http://www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org/about-us/found-turtles

If you would like to know more about Emma, visit the GSTC or follow this link :

http://www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org/our-patients/sea-turtle-patients/current-patients

Thank you for your concern.

Turtles for Tomorrow

a FREE scout event

Learn all about turtles at this ’scouts only’ event!

Spend a day on beautiful Jekyll Island and join the staff of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, the Jekyll Island 4-H Center and Tidelands Nature Center to learn how you can help ensure that turtles survive for tomorrow!

This FREE event is open to Boy and Girl Scouts (recommended ages 8-12), their troops and leaders.

Space is limited and reservations required!

Contact Kelly Price at (912) 635-4076 or kokeefe@jekyllisland.com to register

Lend us a flipper! Print this flyer to post or bring to your next meeting!

Marathon, Florida Keys

December 5 & 6, 2009

The Marathon Sea Turtle Hospital.

Each year, the Marathon Sea Turtle Hospital hosts an annual Sea Turtle Workshop at their facility in the Florida Keys. Sea turtle staffers and researchers, from all over the world, come together to discuss new data and interesting patient cases from the past year. As part of a small network of sea turtle hospitals, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center staff packed up and migrated south to join and share our experience and expertise with other facilities like ours!

Day one started off with formal presentations in true workshop style. The diversity of topics was unending: Leatherback blood mercury levels, neonate Australian Flatback behavior, 2009 nesting statistics, even future sea turtle facilities under construction. Of the 20 or so lectures, the GSTC staff had the highest Center representation with 5 presentations! There were so many changes at the Center to share since the 2008 conference: Dr. Terry Norton, Michelle Kaylor, Jeannie Miller, Stefanie Ouellette and Rachel Thomas spoke about the past, present and future of the GSTC, interesting patient cases, the start of the AmeriCorps program, sea turtle satellite tracking and the Adopt-a-Sea Turtle program at the GSTC.

Dr. Norton lecturing about the Georgia Sea Turtle Center at the Sea Turtle Workshop.

Day two of the workshop included a hands-on Necropsy (animal autopsy) lab. The brave GSTC folks had the opportunity to perform two necropsies: a sub adult Loggerhead entangled in fishing line and also ingested a two inch fishing hook with fishing line embedded into his intestine; the second, a Green who perished from the effects of fibropapillomatosis, a type of herpes virus. This virus is becoming an epidemic among sea turtle populations worldwide. Although sad and unfortunate, these turtle necropsies offered an unmatchable learning experience. We’ll be able to put that knowledge to use as we see more and more cases in the coming years.

Dr. Terry Norton, Simon Dilts, Michelle Kaylor and Jessica Self performing a necropsy on a Loggerhead sea turtle.

Overall, the short trip to Marathon was a great experience! I personally enjoyed learning about the other facilities and research, as well as meeting people who share the same interest and passion of sea turtle conservation. I also left feeling very grateful to be a part of the GSTC. This center has done so much for sea turtle conservation in a very small amount of time.

Thank you,

Jessica Self

GSTC Americorps Education Member

Have you been naughty or have you been nice? If you were naughty, you have 350 days to prepare for Santa’s next visit with the Sea Turtles!

The big guy in red flew in for a visit this past December, leaving his workshop behind just six days before Christmas! Many of Santa’s elves were spotted

helping sea turtles at the Center that very same day. All the good girls and boys (even the big ones!) had the chance to sit on Santa’s lap, have their photo taken and whisper what they’d like under the tree.

Even our old friend, Archelon, came dressed for the occasion! As an early gift, Santa gave each child a special sea turtle toy to remind them that sea turtles, wild and captive, need our love and care throughout the year.

Everyone, whether naughty or nice, enjoyed a performance of Scute’s Christmas Adventure-but there sure was something different about those holiday tunes sung throughout the show! To adorn their tree when they got home, all guests were invited to make a take-home craft.  This season’s turtle-inspired craft featured a felt turtle with a wreath upon its back. Adorned with ocean stickers, it looked like the most decorate spot in the ocean- the coral reef!  We hope that these ‘Turtle Wreefs’ and memories from Santa’s visit will deck your halls for many seasons to come.

Many thanks to the Mirasolas for their tremendous help with this event!

~Kelly Price, Education Specialist

Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy holiday SEA-son!

~GSTC Staff  and Patients

This event is FREE with general admission to the Center!

Check out the holiday magic from the 2008 event!

~Kelly Price, Education Specialist

Hello Turtle and Opera Enthusiasts!

My name is Amanda Noble.  I was born in 1986.  That same year, Andrew Lloyd Webber debuted a musical entitled, “The Phantom of the Opera.”  The great opera composer had adapted a 1911 novel, Le Fantôme de l’Opéra, by French writer Gaston Leroux.  Well, the Opera was a hit!  It is the longest running Broadway, NY musicals in history!  (http://www.thephantomoftheopera.com, “The Show,” “Facts and Figures”)

On July 30, 2009, naturalists from Little Saint Simon’s Island brought us a 96 pound, sub-adult loggerhead sea turtle.  The turtle was later named, “Phantom,” because of its facial injury.  Here is why:

Phantom was missing half of its face and left eye; we were stunned by this patient’s injury.  When we performed a full-body X-ray on this particular turtle, we found a fishhook embedded in the throat!  Based off of past turtle patients, it was assumed that Phantom swallowed the fishhook in order to eat the bait, the line was reeled in, and the propeller of the boat may have sliced off most of the top beak and an eye of the turtle.*

The Phantom of the opera house had a severe facial injury, like our sea turtle.  However, one key difference (besides species) is that the opera’s Phantom wore a mask.  Our turtle patient is exposed for patrons of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center to view.  Phantom, the sea turtle, helps us explain the necessity for responsible fishing and boating practices.  Phantom is an obvious reminder that our behaviors can greatly affect the creatures that live on this planet with us.

The fishhook, which was embedded in Phantom’s esophagus, was extracted surgically and sent to a lab for analysis.  We wanted to know what type of hook it was and potentially where it came from.  We JUST found out that the hook was from a recreational (’rec’) fishing line and that it appeared to have been stuck in the throat for quite some time.  The GSTC respects that fishing is a way of life and hopes people in such industries respect our worlds’ turtles.

While recovering in our hospital, Phantom was treated with 1. Metacam, a pain medicine.  2. Ceftazidime & Metronidizole, antibiotics.  3. Iron pills, to help treat anemia.  4. Cisapride, for gut motility.  5. Fluid therapy, for hydration.  Recently, Phantom has been able to (slowly) capture and consume live blue crab!

Now, may I present to you,

‘The Phantom of the GSTC!’

(APPLAUSE)
Eh-em.  Background music, please….

“Beneath the water’s surface, you’ll see it there.
It’s missing half it’s face!!  Please, be aware.
When we offered whole food, Phantom tried to bite.
The Phantom of the GSTC is fighting for life.”

Ba-da-bada-da-dah….

“Those who have seen it’s face exclaim, ‘Oh, Dear!
Will Phantom, the sea turtle, ever leave here?’
I learned it swallowed a large fishhook from a ‘rec’ line.
The Phantom of the GSTC has had a tough time!”

Ba-da-bada-da-dah….

Thank you for joining me!

~Amanda Noble, GSTC Education Member~

If you are unfamiliar with The Phantom of The Opera theme song, please visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej1zMxbhOO0