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

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

I recently traveled to Barbados, one of the most eastern windward islands in the Caribbean in late August. Prior to 1998, it was legal to kill sea turtles for food and take their eggs in Barbados. Subsequently, a moratorium was placed and these activities became illegal. A few years later, fisherman noticed that green turtles would eat fish parts that were being discarded off their boats. This situation has evolved into a lucrative business for hotels and other groups in Barbados. Hundreds of people pay to snorkel and feed the turtles. Unfortunately this activity has gotten out of hand and is now potentially having negative impacts on the turtles. During my visit, I was amazed how many boats and people were in the water feeding the turtles.

Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) are herbivores (plant eaters), feeding on sea grass and algae, after they return from their omnivorous (plant, invertebrate and fish eaters) pelagic life stage at about 4 years of age.

In Barbados, feeding them large quantities of fish parts has caused many of these turtles to become significantly over weight. Additionally, these turtles have become habituated to humans. Flipper tag studies in Barbados have shown that once green turtles reach a certain size class, many of them migrate to Nicaragua. It is still legal to take sea turtles for food in Nicaragua, thus these turtles are potentially easy targets.

This project was a collaboration between researchers from the University of West Indies, Ross University, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, and the government of Barbados. The focus of our research was to capture 30 green turtles from 2 populations; a supplementally fed-with-fish group and a group that were feeding on algae and sea grass and not supplemented with fish. Turtles were captured by hand while snorkeling. A very experienced fisherman that previously captured turtles for food caught the majority of turtles and often dove 40 to 60 feet to reach them.

Blood samples were collected for plasma vitamins, minerals, lipids and other health parameters.

Physical examinations, morphometric measurements, and body weights were performed on each turtle.  We have been conducting a very similar study in loggerhead sea turtles in Georgia.

One turtle had a severe boat strike injury that involved the carapace and the plastron. I was able to debride (remove dead tissue) the wound and pack it with gauze.

We then headed to the grocery store and pharmacy to get some saline for flushing the wound and guess what else-not peanut butter, yes you got it-honey. Most of you know the amazing healing properties of honey if you have visited the GSTC. It pulls debris out of the wound because of its high glucose content (hypertonic). The bee produces an enzyme found in honey called glucose oxidase which converts glucose to hydrogen peroxide. Remember the Krebs cycle when you took biochemistry and you thought you would never need that information in real life? When honey comes in contact with tissue, the pH of the honey increases from 4 to 6, which causes this enzyme to be activated. There are several other properties of honey that assist in its ability to fight infection and heal wounds.

Sincerely,
Dr. Terry Norton,
Director and Veterinarian

Last night Rob Lindsey and Mark Weese, GSTC Teacher Workshop participants, joined Turtle Patrol for the night, where they had the opportunity to meet a very special visitor!

Sea Turtle Night Walkers’ Find Special Visitor to Jekyll

“The night started off with a flicker and ended with a “Bang”, as Turtle Patrol began their nightly duties of combing the Jekyll beaches. The buzz for the past few nights had been about the nesting of a Leatherback sea turtle a little over a week earlier. That sighting was the first reported nesting of a Leatherback sea turtle ever on Jekyll Island. Normally, a female Leatherback will return to lay another clutch of eggs within a week. This night marked the ninth night since the first nesting. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center’s evening turtle walks provide the public a great opportunity to get involved in the center’s mission to spread the word about the conservation of these wonderful species. These walk’s also provide a chance for daily visitors to interact with turtle patrol to receive updated information about nesting, sightings, and tools used for tracking the Georgia sea turtles.

This past evening, two of the participating in the nightly turtle walks contributed to the second sighting of the endangered Leatherback turtle. We were excited to welcome back our leatherback visitor to lay her second clutch of eggs this season. Sea turtle nesting season is in full bloom with excitement for all, each and every night!

Create your own experiences at the GSTC!!!!!”

Photo by Kelly O' Rourke, GADNR

~Alicia Marin, GSTC Education Coordinator

~Mark and Rob, GSTC Teacher Workshop Participants

The school year may have ended for the children, but not the teachers!  Many teachers take advantage of continuing education programs during their summer vacation.  Thanks to a generous grant we received through the Improving Teacher Quality Grant Program offered through the University of Georgia, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center has teamed up with Georgia Southern University to host 2 weeks of teacher workshops this summer!  Twelve participants were selected and will each get to participate in a week long workshop focused on the idea of using Jekyll Island as a teaching resource, concentrating particularly on sea turtles.

Our first session started yesterday, June 6 and runs through June 12.  Each day, one or more participants will reflect on their time here at the GSTC.  Read below to see what Tracy Lovelace and Amy Culpepper thought of their first day:

“What an AWESOME first day! After a brief orientation, and a quick bite of lunch, we were off on the Eco-Tour! The weather started getting rough (no, this is not Gilligan’s Island), but it did not deter the playful pod of dolphins mudding on the banks of Jekyll Creek. We observed quietly as our eager young shipmates helped haul in our catch from the trawl. Though not professional shrimpers, we did manage to catch enough shrimp to possibly make a nice meal for at least one passenger on the boat. We also caught a few trout, some crabs, and a tonguefish, a cousin of the flounder. No marine life were intentionally harmed in this endeavor…all were soon released. Then, it was back to GSTC for a fun puppet show, staff introductions, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the hospital and introductions to some very special patients.

Now for the night and oh what a night it was!!! We joined the turtle walk participants at GSTC for the early turtle walk. Though sightings are not guaranteed, we all left hopeful that we would get the chance of a lifetime to actually view one of nature’s endangered species doing her part to help avoid extinction. The night began slowly, finding a few treasures such as ghost crabs, sea whip, and knobbed whelk egg cases. As we started to make our way back down the beach, feeling rather disappointed, turtle patrol radioed to tell us that a female loggerhead had begun to nest behind us! We quickly made our way back down the beach as she was finishing digging her nest. All turtle walk participants waited anxiously as this young mother prepared her nest. After she began laying, it was determined that this turtle had never been tagged and appeared to be fairly young. She was about three feet long and appeared to be in excellent health. In small groups, all turtle walk participants were able to watch the turtle lay her eggs at close range under the watchful eyes of the turtle patrol. Excitement was high as she covered her nest and moved back to the ocean much more quickly than we expected after her arduous job.

After such an exciting first day, we can hardly wait to see what the rest of the week will bring!”

Stayed tuned all week long to learn first hand what the participants are experiencing!

Happy Turtling,

Alicia Marin, Education Coordinator

Tracy Lovelace and Amy Culpepper, GSTC Teacher Workshop Participants

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

Hey kids!  Are you looking for a fun and educational way to spend your summer?  Join the GSTC Education Staff for our first annual Sea Turtle Camp!  Click the image below to see a full size view.

Registration is required and space is limited.  To download the Sea Turtle Camp Registration Form please click here.   

Hope to see you there for Turtle-riffic good time!

~Alicia Marin

GSTC Education Coordinator

Jekyll Island is slowly coming back to life after a long, sleepy winter. If you’ve got Spring fever like we do, mark your calendar for Saturday, April 18 from 10am to 4pm.  You’ll want to join us for the Jekyll Island Mother Nature Festival at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center!

In 2008, the GSTC debuted it’s first annual Shell-e-brate Earth Day family festival. Over 550 people took part in the green shell-e-bration.  This year, it has blossomed into an island-wide event! Join us for a day of eco-fun and earth friendliness as we create recycled crafts like Styrofoam plate press animal art, make your own handmade paper, decorate a recycled sea turtle journal or color a wearable paper bag carapace. Taste a yummy dirt cup creation, visit with diamondback terrapin hatchlings and have your photo taken with Scute, the Loggerhead sea turtle mascot!  And be sure to visit our vendor expo featuring organizations with earth-friendly creations, products and services.

But who says that kids have to have all the fun? The week of April 13^th -17^th, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center will be hosting its Citizen Science Workshop & Lecture series.  Five guest speakers will present on topics ranging from honeybees & vermicomposting to organic gardening & cooking. Also, new for 2009 is our Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Regift silent auction! Gifted but never used nature-themed items will go home with the highest bidder the day of the event. All proceeds go to benefit continuing efforts of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Have something you’d like to donate? Click here to download the auction donation form.

Several outdoor excursions and activities will be taking place around Jekyll Island, including kite demonstrations, a fishing derby at Rixen pond, bicycle rentals, horseback riding and eco-tours with Captain Phillip. Check out www.jekyllisland.com/mothernaturefestival for a complete listing and excursion reservations.

Sea you there!

~Kelly O’Keefe, Educator