The turtle patrol team awoke at 6am on May 3^rd, to do their regularly scheduled dawn patrol of Jekyll’s beach. It was a beautiful day and we arrived at Driftwood at 7am. It felt like an ordinary Monday, but we soon found it was not so ordinary. We found a cold and lonely fawn whom needed a friend and a jacket. We quickly covered the cold fawn with a GSTC jacket and called JIA to help save the little fella from the clutches of cold weather.

We continued on our journey and headed south when suddenly a distant indentation in the sand caught our eyes. It was the first track of the season… and it belonged to a leatherback! We immediately stopped the vehicle to investigate. We followed the track beginning at the high tide line, went in a few circles, and eventually came to the nest near the Brice street beach access point. We were overcome with joy as we had found Georgia’s first nest of the season!

She had laid her nest in a poor location, along the rock wall, so it was necessary to relocate it in order to prevent it from being inundated and possibly washed out. We called our faithful leader, Ms. Stefanie Ouellette, and she immediately came down to assist. The patrol team relocated the nest to a more suitable location farther south to protect the (hopefully) soon-to-be hatchlings.

While that has been our only nest so far, we wish the nest a successful 70-90 day incubation period and are looking forward to the rest of the season.

Thanks for Reading,

The 2010 patrol team

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!

This January there was a large cold stunning event in Florida during which approximately 5,000 turtles were stranded. Some of those turtles came here to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.

(Photo courtesy of Florida Fish & Wildlife)

Among them were Fria, Titimela, and Boreous. All three were green sea turtles and their names mean ‘cold’ in foreign languages. Fria and Titimela were juveniles from Indian River Lagoon, FL and Boreous was a sub-adult from Eddy Creek,FL.

On an absolutely beautiful March 24^th day, part of the GSTC staff and AmeriCorps Members made the four hour drive down to Mosquito Lagoon on the Cape Canaveral National Seashore in Florida to release these three. The turtles were placed in foam-padded tubs and transported in the back of GSTC van.

Boreous on his way to the water.

Boreous, the first to go, was placed on the sand a few feet from the shore. He immediately made his way to the water and swam off.

Titimela taking a breath.

Titimela and Fria were placed in the water. Fria took off right away, while Titimela swam a few small circles before venturing off into deeper water. The team watched from the edge of the water, as the turtles each came up to breathe, until they were all out of sight.

Jessica carrying Fria to the water.

The day was complete and all three turtles had made it to the sea. It was an amazing event filled with lots of pictures and smiles. Although it was bittersweet to see them go, we know they are better off swimming in the open ocean where they are free to roam the waters. We wish them all the best in their travels.

(From L to R) Rachel, Steven, Jessica, Elissa, Chrissy, Renee, Lisa, Christina, Joseph

Keep checking back on our website and BLOG for information on upcoming releases!

Sincerely,

The GSTC Staff

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.

Spring has sprung at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, where many of our patients are enjoying the warmer temperatures and sunlight. With the warmer climates, turtles and terrapins in the wild are becoming increasingly active and sometimes manage to find their way near dangerous roadways being subject to trauma and even death. Some species of male turtles are actively searching for mates during this time of year and reproduce with females. The gravid females then search for prime nesting sites in which to deposit her eggs.  Often times, these sites are located in areas that require the turtle to cross dangerous roadways and be subject to the elements.  We would like to remind people to drive safely and take caution for turtles during this time of year, relocating a turtle to a safer habitat may be necessary.

Roadway Fatality

One of the most common turtles we see hit my cars are Diamondback terrapins. These turtles live are turtles that live in brackish water (partial salt water)the marsh.  The females nest from May-July and deposit their eggs near roadways as this is often the highest/driest point of land (i.e. Jekyll Island Causeway).  Females that attempt to cross the roadways in search of prime nesting sites often get struck by vehicles; they are then brought to the center and triaged. Although the female terrapin may not survive the trauma, her eggs are extracted and incubated here at the GSTC.  The incubation for the eggs ranges from 45-50 days on average, when hatched and stable, they are then introduced back into the wild.  Naturally incubated terrapin eggs will hatch out in the late summer months where they will climb to the surface of the nest and head out into the marsh.  On occasion however, some females nest late in the summer months and therefore her eggs would incubate and hatch out in the fall and early winter months.  With the colder temperatures at this time, the eggs will hatch but the hatchlings will remain within the nest chamber several inches under the dirt living off their yolk sac, harboring energy and will emerge from the nest when temperatures being to rise in the spring months. We call this “overwintering.”

Terrapin Hatchling

Many people are currently finding terrapin hatchlings that are emerging from their overwintering state.  It is important to remember that these are wild animals and they do not make good pets, if you find an hatchling terrapins and they are in a safe environment (away from roadways) leave them alone, if they are in danger however, relocate them to suitable habitat (marsh edges) as best as you can.  Many terrapin hatchlings will fail to make it safely to the marsh due to environmental exposure or predation.  Make sure you stop by the center to visit all of our patients!

-Steven Nelson, Hospital Technican

This past winter was very busy at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.  One of the coldest winters in history followed by mass amount of cold stunned (hypothermic) sea turtles to strand throughout the southeastern United States.  Back in January, GSTC sent four staff members Dr. Terry Norton, DVM, Dipl. AZVM, Steven Nelson, CVT, Ashley Raybould and Simon Dilts, to the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton to assist in laser and electrocautery surgeries being conducted to remove fibropapilloma tumors from 30 (thirty) green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas). The sea turtles were all affected by the mass cold stunning event in southeastern Florida where approximately 4,000-5000 animals were affected by the cold weather and low temperatures. Although not all of the cold stunned turtles presented with tumors when stranded, hundreds did and a majority of the stable patients underwent surgery.

Green Sea Turtle with eye tumors

Fibropapilloma is thought to be caused by a herpes virus and possibly involves some other environmental factor(s) such as pollution and climate change that appear to be causing the turtle’s immune system to be compromised. It affects almost all of the sea turtle species but is considered to be an epidemic in many green sea turtle populations. The problem is rarely seen north of Cape Canaveral, Florida and only a few cases have been documented in coastal Georgia. The affected turtles develop tumor like masses that can eventually cover the entire body if not excisedremoved. Even the eyes are subject to tumors; these tumors are the most concerning because they compromise the turtle’s vision and they eventually die of starvation. The most severe cases develop tumors in internal organs-these cases have a very guarded prognosis and usually require humane euthanasia. Techniques have been developed to use laser surgery to remove the tumors.  Laser surgery minimizes bleeding during and after surgery. Tumors can be removed from the eyelids and portions of the eye to improve vision. Tumor removal seems to stimulate the immune system and in many cases the tumors do not return. Recent studies have documented natural tumor regression in some turtles.

Dr. Norton performing laser surgery

The goal for all of these turtles was to removed the largest most compromising tumors under anesthesia, recover them, and rehabilitate them to the point where they are likely to do well in the wild. The turtles will be released near where they were found so there are not concerns about transmitting the virus to unexposed turtles. Four surgery tables were set up in a basement facility at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton, FL. Four lasers and anesthesia machines were borrowed for the procedures. Several surgeons and ophthalmologists including Dr. Norton performed the 30 surgeries that day. Steven Nelson was one of the many certified veterinary technicians that performed general anesthesia on the turtles. Two of our AmeriCorps husbandry members, Ashley and Simon, monitored and successfully recovered all of the turtles. The team left for Florida on a Monday evening after work for the 6 hour drive, stayed in a hotel that night, worked for 8 hours on the turtles and then drove all the way back to the GSTC and arrived at 2 am. All participants were back to work at 8 am the next day taking care of the 35+ patients that are currently housed at the GSTC. This was a collaborative effort with numerous organizations including Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, the Loggerhead Marinelife Center, Shedd Aquarium, Pittsburg Zoo and Aquarium, local veterinarians and ophthalmologists, veterinary technicians, biologists, rehabilitators and volunteers. It was truly an amazing effort and great to be a part of the team.  In the future, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center hopes to expand their veterinary care facilities to include isolation and quarantine areas for fibropapilloma cases as well as to purchase or gain a donation of a laser unit to remove such tumors. There are currently only three rehabilitation centers that have the appropriate facilities and equipment to treat this condition in sea turtles.

-Steven Nelson, Hospital Technician

Hello,

We are the 2010 GSTC Night Patrol Team. Before the season kicks off we would like to let you know a little more about each of us. Below we’ve each briefly described our backgrounds and why we are excited to be part of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center AmeriCorps Night Patrol Team!

(L to R: Joe, Elissa, Kim, Chrissy, Renee, Heather, Christina, Rachel, Adam)

Chrissy Bissett

I graduated in July 2009 from the University of North Carolina Wilmington with my Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology. Before I graduated, I did an independent study with one of my professors when I monitored Figure Eight Island for sea turtle nests. I also interned at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. My fondness for sea turtles started in college, and has become closer to an obsession. I’m very glad to be here, and I hope to learn a whole lot more about these wonderful creatures.

Adam Dispenza

Raised on Sanibel Island, FL, I went to school at the University of West Florida in Pensacola where I received a BA degree in Communication Arts. Even though I’m not a science major, I hope to use that degree to create conservation films and write Children’s books to educate kids about endangered species. Before attending UWF, I was a volunteer at the JN Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island where I taught visitors about the local mangrove ecology. I also volunteered at CROW (Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife) for over a decade where I often worked closely with Gopher Tortoises and other turtles. My sea turtle experience began at the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation where I assisted in morning sea turtle patrols. Besides volunteering at various wildlife organizations, I have acquired the majority of my knowledge at home by keeping and breeding numerous reptiles and amphibians.

Christina Martin

I am a recent graduate from the University of Florida where I received my degree in Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, as well as a minor in Chemistry. I was a member and secretary of the Wildlife Society UF Chapter as well as a member of the UF chemistry club during my Junior and Senior years. Last summer I interned at the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission where I worked with manatees conducting field necropsies, photo identification, and radio tracking. During that same summer, I worked with Loggerhead turtles by conducting morning walks and excavations in Jupiter, Florida. I have also traveled to Costa Rica, Panama, and Honduras to do amphibian and reptile research, and am very excited to now be a part of the turtle research program here on Jekyll Island.

Heather McCarn

Aloha! I graduated in May 2009 from the University of Hawaii at Hilo with a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Science as well as Psychology. While pursuing my degree, I volunteered as a member of the Hilo Marine Mammal Response Network in connection with NOAA. Our main focus was protecting the endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal as well as any whales, dolphins, and turtles that needed help. I am originally from Oregon (Go Beavers!!) and grew up visiting the Oregon Coast and searching through the tide pools and watching the whales. I have always had a fascination for creatures in the ocean and I am super excited to begin Turtle Patrols in May and enjoy my experience at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.

Elissa Monahan

I graduated from the University of Colorado- Boulder with a degree in Environmental Science and minors in Biology and Geography. I also have a certificate in Hydrology and Water Resources. While at CU I completed an Earth Education internship program. I have volunteered in Panama with a Leatherback and Manatee conservation project in San San Wetland Reserve. I am very excited to be part of GSTC patrol team this summer and look forward to learning more about Sea Turtles and Sea Turtle conservation efforts.

Renee Roesler

Hello! I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in May 2009 with a BS in Marine Biology. My love for marine life started when I lived in Maine for two years when I was younger but it wasn’t until college that my love for sea turtles began. Prior to being here at GSTC I did an internship last fall at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Clearwater, FL. My work was with the Sea Turtle Rehab Department but I also got to work with their cow nose stingrays and nurse sharks. I love sea turtles and I hope working with sea turtles becomes my career one day. I’m glad to be here at GSTC and I can’t wait for patrolling to start in May. I think sea turtles are amazing animals and I hope to learn more about what’s being done to conserve these beautiful creatures of the sea.

Joseph Scarola

Hailing from Laguna Niguel, California, Joseph Scarola spent his younger years at Dana Hills High School where his interest in the ocean sparked from a Marine Biology class taught by Mr. Marv Sherrill. A year-long class followed by a ten day expedition to Bahia de Los Animas in Baja California. He went on to graduate with a degree in Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and has continued his passion for the ocean by earning his Advanced SUBA Certification. Just back from a six month sea turtle conservation project in Cape Verde, Africa from June till December 2009, he is one of nine new AmeriCorps members at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. He is looking forward to a great season and learning new things at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Peace. SOS Tartarugas.

Rachel Sommer

I graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University with a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Science and minors in Biology and Interdisciplinary Studies. Prior to my graduation I completed an internship through the Coastal Watershed Institute where I worked with oysters and oyster reef restoration in South West Florida. Upon graduation I worked part-time for Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in the Fisheries program under Dr. Aaron Adams, where I was responsible for monitoring fish populations in mangrove creeks of Southwest Florida. I also spent time working with Mote Marine’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program doing morning patrols. I most recently began volunteering at Clearwater Marine Aquarium working with Bottlenose dolphins, North America River Otters, and Sea Turtles. I am so excited to be a part of the Night Patrol here at GSTC and can’t wait to learn more about these amazing creatures!

Kimberly Tomczak

I graduated from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln with a degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Fisheries and Wildlife. While at UNL, I became interested in marine biology. After obtaining my Bachelors Degree, I volunteered in Costa Rica with a marine research organization. I took part in night patrols monitoring the Olive Ridley sea turtle. I am excited to be a member of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and look forward to working with Georgia’s sea turtles.

The Patrol Team Leader will be joining the team April 1, 2010.   Some of you might remember her fromt the 2008 Patrol Team…Please welcome back Emily Walker!

Thank you for your time. Please check back with us soon as we’ll be blogging throughout the season about our experiences here at Jekyll Island and presenting at the July Lecture Series (held every 2nd Thursday of the month at the Brunswick Library, 7pm)

Sincerely,

The 2010 Patrol Team

Hey Readers,

The staff at the GSTC is working on redesigning a weight belt for Griffin and we are looking for donations of dive weights to help him out. Our ultimate goal is to have a Velcro compatible covering on Griffin where we can attach weights at various points upon his shell. With this type of design, we will have more versatility in placing weights where they will be most beneficial in helping Griffin dive.

Griffin’s current weight belt is not as stable as we’d like (it shifts from side to side) and is limited on the amount of weight it can hold. So we’d like to ask for your help by donating any extra 2lb, 3lb, 4lb or 5lb dive weights you may have! They can be any color, but we’d like them to be the standard 4×4 shape. If you are able to help, the weights can be brought to the center at any time, attention Amy.

Photo courtesy of:http://www.diversdirect.com/scuba-diving/lead-2-lb-weight/

Amy
Rehabilitation Technician I

Lecture Series - February

With nearly three-quarters of our planet hidden beneath the sea, a whole new world waits to be discovered. Stunning seascapes, sunken shipwrecks, psychedelically colored fish, and unseen animal behaviors rest just below the surface.  This presentation will offer an overview of the challenges and rewards of underwater photography, and an intimate glimpse of some of the ocean’s incredible creatures including, of course, sea turtles.

Jim Squires recently moved to Saint Simons Island, GA from Charlotte, Vermont where he spent many years as an early childhood education expert and amateur nature photographer. As a scuba diving instructor for over 25 years, underwater photography combined two of his passions into a dream hobby. He has placed in several photography contests, having won Hawaii’s Kona Classic Underwater Photography Competition in 2006 and Grand Cayman’s Digital Madness Photography Contest in 2007.

Brunswick - Glynn County Library

208 Gloucester St.  Brunswick, GA  31520

Thursday February 11, 2010  7:00 p.m.

My name is Christine and I’m a third year veterinary student at the University of Wisconsin. The university is located in the capital city of Madison and is home to the Badgers! We have a lot of cold weather and cows here, but certainly no sea turtles! As a student with strong interests in zoological medicine and conservation, I felt extremely happy to have the opportunity to spend a month learning at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center last summer.

Each year the local Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, WI awards the Henry Vilas Zoological Society Scholarship to veterinary students who want to pursue a research project that involves wildlife health, medicine and management. I was fortunate to receive support from this scholarship to work with Dr. Norton on the Loggerhead Nutrition research project. Appropriate nutrition is critical for the health of any animal and is an important part of veterinary medicine, so I was very excited about this study! Some of the goals for my contributions to the project included sorting through DNR records to identify common prey items, organizing and shipping blood samples to various labs, compiling lots of data (ongoing!) and learning how to draw a blood samples from Loggerheads. Dr. Norton is an excellent mentor and I learned an immense amount from him, as well as the entire the GSTC team!

Besides research, I was able to participate in the daily husbandry and care for many of the turtle patients at the center. The individualized care and attention provided to each patient by the dedicated staff and volunteers was remarkable! I learned about transponder placement and prepping animals reintroduction. Aussie, Miss Betty, Route, and Duffy were all released during my month on Jekyll and what a wonderful experience it was to watch these animals swim away into the ocean! Moreover, a few new patients were admitted while I was at the center including Caton and Tunicate. I really liked learning how to work up their cases and watching their progress.

I also had the unexpected opportunity to assist Dr. Norton with some of his work for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and also for St. Catherine’s Island, including a marine mammal stranding event and ring-tailed lemur wellness exams. I went on beach patrol several nights to track nesting Loggerheads and was even lucky enough to see a Leatherback nesting on Jekyll Island!

My time at the GSTC was invaluable to my veterinary education and I feel so grateful to Dr. Norton and the amazing staff, interns and volunteers for such an incredible experience! I look forward to continuing my work on the Loggerhead nutrition study and to visiting the GSTC again soon!

Christine