Sea Turtle Conservation presentation by DNR Wildlife Biologist Mark Dodd

at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Friday, September 10^th, 7PM-8PM.

This free public program is part of the 10^th Anniversary Celebration of the State Wildlife Grants co-sponsored by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island and the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division.

• Friday, September 10^th,  7PM-8PM
• Georgia Sea Turtle Center at 214 Stable Road, Jekyll Island, GA 31524
• Free program, open to the public

For more information, contact the Georgia Sea Turtle Center at (912) 635-4076.

The GSTC education staff loves sea turtle camp so much, that five weeks here on Jekyll Island was just not enough!  We decided to take camp on the road to Nevis, West Indies!  This is the natal island of Sea Turtle Camp, the place where it all began.  It was only four short years ago when our current education coordinator, Alicia Marin, spent the summer of 2006 conducting her masters research on Nevis.  Alicia was invited to the island by Lemme Pemberton and his colleagues of the Nevis Turtle Group (NTG) to help establish the nesting population on the island.  The NTG was approached by the Four Seasons Hotel to create a sea turtle inspired activity for local children.

Alicia quickly jumped on the idea and created a Sea Turtle Camp curriculum on the spot!  She later compiled the efforts of Sea Turtle Camp into a user friendly guidebook, Sun, Sand, and Sea Turtles: Inspiring Youth Through Hands on Learning.  This Guidebook serves as the basis for education programs here at the GSTC and is currently being used by organizations across the United States and beyond.  It is currently being published and will be available in the GSTC Gift Shop this fall!

This year we returned to Nevis to teach the 3rd Annual Sea Turtle Camp on Nevis, July 19th through the 26th.  We hosted two week-long sessions geared toward 8-12 years.  However, we did have some sea turtle enthusiasts as young as 5 years old join us!   Teddy Ivey (GSTC Educator), Sarah Eckert (former GSTC Educator), Griffin Eckert (Sarah’s husband, the namesake of one of our most popular turtles) and Alicia Marin (GSTC Education Coordinator) led the first week of Camp.  Sarah Stock (AmeriCorps Education Member) joined us the second week to replace Teddy and Griffin.  While attendance started off light, we had 50 plus children graduate as junior conservationists.  This included 10 Campers from 2009 that came back to join in more Turtle fun!

We followed the same curriculum as Camp here on Jekyll Island, only this time focusing on Caribbean sea turtles.  The week began with a general overview of the 6 species found in the Caribbean sea.  The Campers learned unique facts about each species and how to tell them apart.  Day1 was not only filled with exciting information, but fun crafts, and of course lots of games!  As you can see, even adults joined in on the fun!

On the second day, the children learned about the nesting process and how to identify the different turtle tracks.  This skill really came in handy when we visited the beach later in the week and the children were able to tell us which sea turtles had nested there the night before.  We were also lucky enough to have Mr. Pemberton bring in some Hawksbill sea turtle hatchlings!  The Hawksbill sea turtle is the most common nester on Nevis.

The next two days focused on natural threats and humans associated threats to sea turtles.  This is when we introduced our young turtle enthusiasts to the always popular Egg-cellent Nest Protectors^TM game.  At first our Campers were tentative to become nesting females and bury their eggs (mini-marshmallow) in their nest (vanilla pudding, crushed graham crackers and whipped cream).  However, after the counselors showed them how much fun it was, they were eager to give it a try and get dirty!

When asked in a TV interview, the students indicated that their favorite activity was going to the beach on Day 4.  We traveled to Lover’s Beach, Nevis’ main nesting beach.   While at the beach, we talked about how each of us can do simple things to help our sea turtle friends.  The students eagerly picked up many pieces of trash to provide a clean beach for the three species of sea turtles nest that may nest there.  The three species known to nest on Lover’s Beach include the Hawksbill, Leatherback, and the Green sea turtle.

On the last day of Camp, Mr. Pemberton, presented on the Nevis Turtle Group, talking about how it was established, their current projects and how the Campers and their families could get involved.  He also encouraged them to join him on the beach to help with research and possibly see a nesting turtle!  Mr. Pemberton was thoroughly impressed with all of the knowledge the children gained in one week and we have already been talking about Sea Turtle Camp on Nevis for 2011!

Each of the Campers also made a poster showcasing ways that people of all age can help sea turtles.  There were many great ideas from picking up trash to simply telling them how much you love them, our personal favorite.  All graduates were presented with a Certificate of Completion and a GSTC (Giving Sea Turtles a Chance) bracelet.

At this time we would like to express our deepest thanks to the following individuals that made Sea Turtle Camp a reality;  Ellis Chaderton and his staff at Scuba Safaris Ltd and Oualie Beach Resort for their continued support and friendship.  Ms. Pam Berry, owner of Golden Rock Inn for her generous donation of housing for the entire two weeks.  This beautiful resort was much more than we expected.  It was a beautiful setting with breath taking views, excellent food, and even monkeys on the roof. And most importantly, Lemme Pemberton and the Nevis Turtle Group, for inviting us to partake in this unforgettable experience.  We look forward to assisting with these annual Camps in the future!

To our online viewers, if you are looking for a magical, Caribbean getaway, may we suggest Nevis, West Indies?!?!  It is a beautiful island, with extremely friendly people and we know you will love it as much as we did.  If you do visit, be sure to visit the above mentioned places and tell them the “Turtle Gyal” (Alicia) sent you!

~Alicia Marin, GSTC Education Coordinator and Teddy Ivey, GSTC Educator

Emma!

Congratulations to the first Green sea turtle winner of our 3^rd annual contest!

Each year, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center shell-e-brates its anniversary with a Patient of the Year contest. For a $1 donation, guests can vote on their favorite sea turtle patient that best represents our mission of Research, Rehabilitation and Education.

Emma is no stranger to the GSTC. In 2009, Emma was found floating in the river near Fernandina, FL. Thanks to Jason, an employee of the Fernadina Port Authority, Emma was safely delivered to the Amelia Island Sea Turtle Watch for transport to the GSTC. Emma (short for emerald) has a very severe boat strike injury to his/her carapace. The fracture runs about 2/3 of the way down his/her carapace, paralleling her spine. The lung is actually visible from the wound. As part of our rehabilitation efforts, treating her with a sterile honey coated bandage called Medi-honey (often used in human burn victims) and Vacuum Assisted Wound Care (VAC) has expedited Emma’s recovery.  She is most likely the most severely wounded sea turtle that we have treated to date. Boat strike injuries are found in over 20% of the stranded sea turtles that are seen on the Georgia coast and are a huge issue worldwide. Emma is a remarkable survivor and has served as an ambassador for all boat strike-injured turtles. By educating the public on responsible boating and water recreation, Emma’s story has opened the eyes of many guests to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Perhaps that’s why she received 29 votes!

Tying for second place with 25 votes each were Caretta Hope and Amy! Both Loggerhead sea turtle patients have been long-time favorites over the past year.

Caretta Hope was found in the Matanzas River in St. Johns County, Florida on June 11, 2009. Named Caretta Hope by our first sea turtle campers of the summer, the turtle was missing both rear flippers! Her injuries had already healed upon arrival. However, the red blood cells present in her body were extremely low. She was treated with Procrit, a medication used in human cancer patients to stimulate cell growth and she fully recovered. Caretta Hope was released with a satellite transmitter on July 14, 2010 and is now swimming happily where every sea turtle should be!

You may have met Amy on one of your visits to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.  As the smallest sea turtle patient, Amy resides in a special tank just inside our exhibit gallery. Amy was found by 2008 turtle patrollers that excavated a hatched nest right here on Jekyll Island. As they put her on the sand to make her triumphant crawl to the ocean, patrollers noticed that she was unable to move her front flippers. Tucked underneath her body, they were completely paralyzed. 2 full years of physical therapy have resulted in 60% mobility in Amy’s front flippers! Although she’s not able to swim as well as other sea turtle patients, she’s well on her way to a full recovery. Her petite size and have won over the hearts of many GSTC guests.

Come by to visit Amy and Emma and pass along your get-well wishes. Follow Caretta Hope and her ocean travels by visiting http://www.seaturtle.org/tracking/?project_id=262

~ Kelly Price, Education Specialist

On Wednesday, July 14th, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and Georgia Aquarium jointly released sea turtles on Jekyll Island.

Credit: Shot and edited by Jessica Malnik (Jekyll Island website)

Check out this story from WTOC in Savannah about the sea turtles that were released on Jekyll Island Wednesday afternoon.

Every year AmeriCorps member nationwide participate in a special week known as AmeriCorps week. During this time members do a service project that is “off the beaten path” from their daily routine and celebrate AmeriCorps and what it means to them. This year the 2009-2010 AmeriCorps GSTC team decided to “get things done” to help the people of Haiti and other countries struck by natural disasters for their service project. Members also wanted to show off their team spirit by creating a member wall in the exhibit gallery.

With these decisions made it was time to start the planning! The GSTC team found a great opportunity for service with nearly MAP International.

MAP International is a global nonprofit with the mission to promote the total health of people living in the world’s poorest communities by partnering to: provide essential medicine, promote community development and prevent and mitigate disease, disaster and other health areas. MAP International has its headquarters here in Brunswick and frequently accepts volunteers to assist in packaging medical boxes to be shipped throughout the world.

On the morning of May 5^th, the AmeriCorps GSTC team was joined by Rick Sooy, a AmeriCorps VISTA member serving in Camden County and started their service with MAP. After an orientation and tour of the warehouse the team set out to package oral rehydration packets that would later be included in the larger medical kits. The work went quickly and after what seemed like just a few laughs it was finished!

The AmeriCorps Week project was a great chance for members from all departments to spend some time together “outside of the bubble” and learn about new fun ways they can impact the world. At the end of the week members will be creating their member wall which will highlight the national diversity of the GSTC program. Stop by to check it out and join the GSTC team in thanking the members for their hard work!

~Jeannie Miller AmeriCorps Coordinator

April 24^th marked the 6^th annual Marine Science Center‘s Turtle Trot up on Tybee Island, GA and the second year in a row that the GSTC team was there to release some of our sea turtle patients back to the ocean. This year we were saying goodbye and good luck to Kera and Mr. Hyde. Both are sub-adult loggerheads who came to us from North Carolina as cold-stun patients (see April 20^th blog for more information!). After a few months of care by the GSTC staff, Kera and Mr. Hyde were ready to go.

Mr. Hyde returning to his home

Before being released and in addition to flipper tags and a PIT tag,  both Kera and Mr. Hyde had satellite transmitters placed on their carapace. This allows us to track their travels during the first few weeks of their return home. Check our website for more information if you would like to follow these turtles as well.

Kera ready to return home

The Turtle Trot race started off the day bright and early at 8:30am. The GSTC Education Staff was there with a booth about the center and some turtle specimens for participants and onlookers to enjoy. Scute, the GSTC mascot, made a guest appearance greeting the runners and families as they came off the beach. The turtles arrived on Tybee in the GSTC van around 9:30 am. As the race concluded, many of the runners and other participants gathered on the beach to see our turtles off. Mr. Hyde was released first, followed by Kera. In front of a large crowd, both turtles made their way into the water. As everyone watched, we could see them surface for air a few times while they swam further into the ocean.

Kelly and Elissa Educating the Public

It was exciting to see so many people come out for another successful release. Thank you to all who participated, and remember to check back for details on upcoming releases.

GSTC Staff at Tybee Turtle Trot Release

Sincerely,

Elissa Monahan and Heather McCarn

AmeriCorps Sea Turtle Night Patrol Members

PS Kera and Mr. Hyde will be eligible for adoption as Option #2 soon!  Keep an eye on the website!

That’s right!  Kera & Mr. Hyde, 2 juvenile loggerhead sea turtles afflicted by cold stunning during this past winter are going to be released!

KERA

MR. HYDE

First, a little background…..

Both Kera and Mr. Hyde (along with a 3rd turtle, Rostrum) were found in North Carolina.  All three (along with many others) were diagnosed as ‘cold stunned’. What is cold stunned you ask?  Since sea turtles are ectothermic (aka ‘cold blooded’), their body temperature adapts to their surrounding environment.  If it gets too cold, their body shuts down. Eventually they cannot move their flippers, which means they can’t dive, which means they can’t eat.  Essentially, they begin to freeze….think of it like a human who gets hypothermia.  Kera and Mr. Hyde were originally treated at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Topsail, N.C., but because they were overrun by all the cold-stunned turtles and had run out of space, they asked if we could take a few off their hands.

Once they arrived at the GSTC, we proceeded to give them an exam to determine treatment.  Kera, short for ‘Keratin’, had a lot o keratin missing from her carapace (keratin makes up the scutes that cover her shell).  Mr. Hyde, on the other hand, defecated a pink balloon!  More proof that balloons and other trash pollution are harmful to sea turtles, as well as other marine life.

MR. HYDE

KERA

Both turtles received a final exam on Friday, April 16, 2010 and passed with flying colors!  Both also received a PIT tag, flipper tags and a satellite transmitter.  These transmitters (from Wildlife Computers) are different than the ones we typically use (from Telonics).  They are smaller and lighter, more suitable for smaller turtles like Kera and Mr. Hyde.  Battery power may not be as long, however.  We’ll just have to see how they do!

Now that you’ve been briefed, let’s get to the details of the release:

When: Saturday, April 24, 2010

Where: Tybee Island, GA (CLICK HERE for directions)

Time: following the end of the 5K run/walk; approximately 10am

*Please note that all releases are tentative and subject to change (date, time and/or location) in the best interest of the turtle(s).

This release is occurring in collaboration with the Tybee Island Marine Science Center.  Every year they host a 5K run/walk fundraiser called Turtle Trot.  Funds raised benefit the Tybee Island Sea Turtle Project.  Last year we released Blizzard, Snowball and Chilly Willy at this event, and it was a HUGE success!

We hope you will join us in saying goodbye to Kera and Mr. Hyde!

Sincerely,

Stefanie Ouellette

Marine Field Programs Coordinator

With the a new beach lighting ordinance soon to be in effect (amended in August 2008, grace period ends May 1, 2010), many Jekyll Islands residents and beachfront business owners came out for the 2010 “Sea Turtles and Lights” workshop held at the Jekyll Island Convention Center on March 17, 2010. Many approved turtle-friendly lighting distributors were in attendance to display their approved products and spread the word about wildlife-friendly lighting.

After Eric Garvey, Senior Director of Marketing, welcomed the participants, Dr. Terry Norton, GSTC Director and Veterinarian, kicked off the workshop with a presentation about the Georgia Sea Turtle Center; what it is, what we are all about, and what we’ve accomplished in 3 very short years. Next Mark Dodd, GADNR Sea Turtle Program Coordinator, brought us up to speed on sea turtle natural history and the research conducted on the Sidney Lanier Bridge’s turtle-friendly lighting.  To wrap up the program, GSTC Marine Field Programs Coordinator, Stefanie Ouellette, gave a educational presentation on understanding lights,how lights effect sea turtles and answered the question: What is a turtle-friendly light?

After the presentations wrapped up and all questions were answered, manufacturers/vendors from Wildlife Lighting LLC, Electro Elf, Acclaim Lighting, The Coppersmith, and Justice Design Group displayed their state-of-the-art, approved turtle-friendly products in eye-catching exhibits for the participants.

A few other manufacturers/vendors (Turtle Safe Lighting, Starry Night Lights, the Lighting Science Group and Eco Smart)  were unable to attend in person, but they did send us some sample products prior to the workshop to display.

You can find LINKS to these companies on our website, as well as many other links that might be helpful or interesting to you!  You can also visit our BEACH LIGHTING page on our website to learn and understand more about sea turtles and lights.

As successful as this workshop was, we are sure we can make the next one even better! Stay tuned for information regarding our next workshop coming up this summer…..

Sincerely,

The 2010 Sea Turtle Patrol Team

You may have heard a lot in the news recently about sea turtles.  From the cold stunning event in Florida to the push to get loggerheads on the endangered species list.  But what is happening with the population on our local beaches?  Join us Thursday, April 8th for a discussion on the nesting females of Jekyll Island!  Georgia Sea Turtle Center Research Coordinator Stefanie Ouellette will discuss the Jekyll population and all of the exciting research being done right here in Georgia!

What: Lecture Series - Jekyll Island’s Nesting Females

Who: Georgia Sea Turtle Center Research Coordinator Stefanie Ouellette

Where: Brunswick/Glynn County Library

When: Thursday April 8, 2010  7:00 p.m.