Artificial lighting can have negative impacts on all nocturnal wildlife, including sea turtles.  Both the nesting females and the hatchlings can be affected by improper artificial lighting.  Nesting females will not nest in brightly lit areas and hatchlings can easily get mis- or dis-oriented (LEFT).  What can you do?  Glad you asked!  Believe it or not, there are ways to have lights where you need them AND be turtle-friendly…all at the same time!

We are happy to say that Jekyll Island amended its Beach Lighting Ordinance in 2008, which requires all properties along the beach, and in view of the beach, to become turtle-friendly with their lights.  How do you do this?  What are turtle friendly lights? Can you still have some lights?  Which ones?

These questions and more will be answered at the upcoming ‘SEA TURTLES AND LIGHTS‘ workshop, hosted by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and Jekyll Island Authority.

While there are many problems with lights all along Georgia’s coastline, this workshop will concentrate on Jekyll Island specifically, including the Jekyll Island Authority staff,  Jekyll Island residents, hotels and businesses.  We will have presentations by sea turtle experts,  some lighting vendors with examples of turtle-friendly approved (FWC & FWS) fixtures, bulbs and/or shields, and lots of take-home information so YOU can make your lights turtle-friendly!

We hope to get everyone compliant with the lighting ordinance before sea turtle nesting season begins on May 1. Please see the flyer above for workshop information.   CLICK HERE for a PDF version of the flyer.

Hope to see you there!

Sincerely,
Stefanie Ouellette
Marine Field Programs 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.

With Spring still a few months away,  wouldn’t it be nice to have a piece of Jekyll Island around to remind you of all the fun and exciting things you did while visiting here.  We have an array of decorative sculptures handcrafted by a local artist by the name of Tyler Dominey.  Look below to read all about him, his story is amazing and fascinating.

These are just a few samples of some of the sculptures we have in our Gift Shop.  Stop by to see our complete collection!

**(Prices starting at $14.95, selection subject to change)**

Sincerely,
Peggy Van Buren
Gift Shop Coordinator

We make a living by what we get,
but we make a life by what we give.
~Winston Churchill

Don’t let the spirit of giving fade as the holiday season comes to an end!  What a better way to start off the New Year than to add “volunteer at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center” to your New Year’s Resolution list! Giving of your time & talents can be the best gift of all, not only to those on the receiving end, but also to you as well! From the new things you will learn and the new people you will meet, to the difference you will make, volunteering is an opportunity and gift that keeps on giving! Here at the GSTC, there are several opportunities to volunteer such as in education, husbandry, research and the gift shop, all of which play an important role in the Center’s mission and sea turtle conservation efforts!

Visit (www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org/join-us/volunteer) or call (912) 635-4076 and ask for Teddy or Jenn to learn more about HOW YOU can join our Volunteer Program and to complete an online volunteer application. Have a wonderful holiday season, and we look forward to meeting you next year!

~Jennifer Breehl, GSTC Volunteer Management Member

Looking for a unique holiday gift idea? Looking to give something that gives back?  Well you’ve come to the right place!  Here are a few suggestions from your friends at the GSTC:

ADOPT-A-SEA TURTLE ($50)

The recipient of a sea turtle adoption will surely enjoy their gift!  They will receive a letter from ‘their’ turtle, a 5×7 photo, a certificate of adoption and access to ‘their’ turtle’s password protected webpage!  If their turtle receives a satellite transmitter, or you choose a turtle that has already been released with a transmitter, they’ll be able to follow their turtle’s journey!

GSTC MEMBERSHIP ($35-5,000)

Did your friends of family LOVE their visit to the GSTC?  Why not by them a GSTC Membership!  We offer 6 levels from Individual to Lifetime. The various levels come with a variety of benefits, however all Memberships including FREE admission to the GSTC for 1 whole year, 10% discount off merchandise in the GSTC Gift Shop, 50% discount on Turtle and Nest Walks, and access the password protected Member’s ONLY page on our website which includes a Member’s ONLY edition of the GSTC’s quarterly newsletter Caretta Chronicles! How can you beat that?!

PERSONALIZED BRICK on our Walkway to Wonder! ($100 or $500)

What could be more special than a personalized brick on the GSTC Walkway to Wonder?  Either surprise them with a personalized message for them or let them create their own message..either way you can’t beat this gift!  And the best part is, you can visit it over and over and over!

All three of these options can be purchased at the Center, by calling 912-635-4444, visiting out website, downloading the correct forms and mailing or faxing them to us, or through our online store!  But hurry, processing and deliver can take 2-4 weeks!

We also have a variety of merchandise available in our gift shop (and we are currently running a 10% off holiday discount on merchandise (in store only-see previous BLOG)) and on our online store!

So whether you are buying a gift for someone else or treating yourself, please know that for all purchases made, whether it’s an adoption, membership, brick or merchandise, ALL proceeds go towards offsetting the operation costs of the GSTC, includeing the rehabilitation of sea turtles, equipment, research, and educational programming to promote conservation and awareness.

On behalf of the entire GSTC staff, I would like to wish you all a happy and safe holiday season!

Sincerely,
Stefanie Ouellette
Marine Field Programs Coordinator

We would like to share some exciting news regarding the Georgia Sea Turtle Center Gift Shop!  Mark your calendar for November 26th, 2009… We are having a 10% discount* on all merchandise in the Gift Shop.  This discount will end on January 15, 2010.

Come by and make your selection and we will take care of the rest!  We offer a wide variety of gifts including, jewelry, hats & visors, travel mugs, assorted sweatshirts, and t-shirts.

We also have educational books for children and adults that will make a great gift.

And don’t forget those decorative pieces of art and pottery!

So come spend the day with us and, for a low admission price, visit our interactive Exhibit Gallery, listen to educational programs and see our patients in our Rehabilitation Pavilion, then stop by the Gift Shop and shop til you drop!  To make things even better, all proceeds help to offset operational costs of the GSTC including patient care, educational programming and research.

Thank you for supporting The Georgia Sea Turtle Center!
Peggy Van Buren
Gift Shop Coordinator
*This offer does not include online sales, admissions, adoptions, memberships or brick purchases.

On Wednesday, November 4^th, fourteen volunteers (eight Georgia Sea Turtle Center staff, four Jekyll Island Authority staff, and two residents of Jekyll Island) helped clean the salt marsh along the Jekyll Island Causeway. The cleanup effort was in collaboration with the Keep Brunswick-Golden Isles Beautiful and Rivers Alive organizations. While working, we encountered (and braved) giant crickets, banana spiders, huge cacti, and thousands of sand spurs. However, our efforts were not in vain as twenty-two bags of trash, a plastic children’s swimming pool, a plastic storage container, and three large carpet squares were removed from the salt marsh. And all within just one hour! We were willing to participate in such an important task as it is vital that our environment be healthy and safe; not only for the animals that call the salt marsh home but for us and future generations as well!

~Melissa Q. Daniel, Education Member

The GSTC Education Staff is always looking for new ways to engage our young sea turtle enthusiasts. Not long ago I came across the most incredible resource…a life-size, inflatable leatherback! Yes, a 9ft inflatable replica of the largest and deepest diving reptile on the planet! And thanks to an extremely generous grant from the M.K. Pentecost Ecology Fund, we were able to purchase one!  We have named our new, giant friend Cori, since Dermochelys coriacea is the scientific name of the leatherback sea turtle.  This grant also allowed us to purchase 3 Green, 3 Hawksbill and 3 Leatherback sea turtle skull replicas to strengthen our educational programs!

Our new teaching tools arrived just in time for the new school year. Schools are an excellent community resource for informing young citizens about their fragile environment and cultivating a sense of stewardship. Unfortunately, many schools lack adequate resources or curricula to support environmental education. It is for this reason that the GSTC created the Sea Turtle Education Project (STEP), a STEP in the right direction for sea turtle conservation.

STEP is designed as a three-part educational outreach effort based on Amazing Adaptations,™ Georgia’s Sea Turtles™, and Garbage in the Water™, a field-tested, standards-based environmental education curriculum exploring sea turtles and pollution prevention. Two school-based visitations and a field trip to the GSTC will be supplemented throughout the year by suggested readings and investigations, culminating in a class-designed research or community awareness project.

The primary audiences of the STEP program are third-graders and their teachers in public and private schools in Glynn County. Approximately 1000 students and 25 educators from 20 different schools will participate in the STEP program this academic year FOR FREE, thanks to a grant received by the Environmental Protection Agency!

It is with deepest gratitude that I thank both the M.K. Pentecost Ecology Fund and the Environmental Protection Agency for their sea-port! And the turtles thank you too!

~Alicia B. Marin, GSTC Education Coordinator

We’ve just added a new loggerhead sea turtle patient to our Adopt-a-Sea Turtle Program eligibility list (as Option #1)...Night Watch!

Night Watch was brought to the GSTC by the researchers upon the Georgia Bulldog, a retire shrimp trawler that has been converted into a sea turtle research vessel!  The crew on board the vessel had to ‘watch’ the turtle all ‘night’ until they could get it to the dock for transportation to the GSTC for care!

In addition to Night Watch, we have many other sea turtles eligible for adoption including:

Option #1:In-House Patients

CATON

TUNICATE

Option #2: Successfully Released Patients with a Satellite Transmitter

CLICK HERE to learn more about our Adopt-a-Sea Turtle Program!  Sea Turtle Adoptions make great gifts and educational projects for the classroom.  Don’t wait, adopt a turtle today!  You can purchase an adoption through our ONLINE STORE, downloading a FORM and sending by mail or fax, calling us at 912-635-4444 or visiting the Center!

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island is an operating department of the Jekyll Island Authority and receives financial contributions through the Jekyll Island Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All proceeds from Adoptions help to offset operation costs, including the rehabilitation of our patients at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.

Thank you again for all of your support!

Sincerely,
Stefanie Ouellette
Marine Field Programs Coordinator

Hey Readers,

For those of you who haven’t stopped by the center in a while, a new mobile diamondback terrapin exhibit is now on display! As many of you are aware, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center does not only take care of sick and injured sea turtles, but we take care of other turtles as well. One in particular is found in the marsh, the diamondback terrapin.

During May-July female Diamondback terrapins frequently try to cross the causeway looking for a place to lay their eggs. Unfortunately, they are often hit by cars and then brought to the center for rehabilitation. In our efforts to spread the word about protecting this unusual species, the Georgia Sea Turtle staff and artist Raymond Rawls worked very hard to create two mobile displays teaching about the diamondback terrapin life history, the threats they face, and ways to help in their conservation. The exhibit includes amazing dioramas, diamondback fun fact flip doors, an ongoing scenic video, turn panels outlining various aspects of a terrapins life, a “plinko” style game where you drop coins onto a board to see if you (the coin) can make it past all the threats a terrapin can face and last but not least, a video game called Cohen’s Causeway Cross to test your “Frogger” like gaming abilities. It is up to you to get your terrapin safely across the road by strategically placing crossing signs, artificial nest mounds, and fencing along the road.

If it has been a while since you have visited the center, or even if you have never been before, the new exhibit is definitely worth the trip. Come check out Raymonds “green” design, and say hello to the patients while you are there!

Cheers,

The Rehabilitation Staff