From Dr. Terry Norton, Direction and Veterinarian
  
For the past 2 weeks, Uzma Noureen has been working with us at the Center. Uzma is a turtle and wildlife conservationist and currently works for the Ministry of Environment’s Pakistan Wetlands Program. Her efforts in Pakistan have been focused on developing a conservation program for eight species of freshwater turtles. There is a serious illegal trade of many of these turtles, which are used for food and medicinal purposes in China. Additionally, she is involved with 2 freshwater otter species that are found in Pakistan. Poverty is the biggest obstacle to overcome with development of a conservation program for wildlife. Creating alternatives to exploiting turtles and other wildlife is a major challenge for conservationists like Uzma.
  
Uzma was selected to participate in the Asian Scholarship Program for in-situ Chelonian Conservation (www.ASPin-situCC.org) for 2009. The program sends its students to work with several turtle conservation organizers around the globe. This is the first year that the Georgia Sea Turtle Center has been involved with the program. Of the many great ways to conserve wildlife, the ASPin-situCC chooses students from Asia. All participants have a vested community interest in their local native turtles, primarily freshwater and brackish water inhabitants. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center was Uzma’s first training opportunity within the US. She was exposed to a wide variety of activities during her stay; loggerhead turtle nest monitoring on three Georgia barrier islands, night patrol for the saturation tagging program on Jekyll Island, diamondback terrapin conservation (rehabilitation, release, road mortality surveys, egg extraction, hatchling rearing, PIT tag plaements and shell notching,) observation of education efforts at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, 2 satellite transmitter placements, blood drawing, PIT tagging and flipper tagging sea turtles, and participation in a loggerhead sea turtle necropsy. She also participated in the release of three rehabilitated Georgia Sea Turtle Center patients on Amelia Island, FL. It is our hope that her experiences here will help in Uzma’s efforts to protect turtles and other wildlife in Pakistan.
  
We wish Uzma lots of luck as she travels to several other conservation organizations over the next few months while she is in the US. Her next stop is the Wetlands Institute in New Jersey.

Tags: coastal turtles, coastal wildlife, diamondback terrapin, Georgia, georgia coast, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, golden isles, jekyll island, loggerhead, pakistan wetlands, sea turtle conservation, sea turtle hospital, Sea Turtle Rehabilitation, uzma noureen
Posted in Beachscape, July 2009, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Celebrate Spring on Jekyll Island with the first annual Jekyll Island Mother Nature Festival on Saturday, April 18, 2009. The festival boasts numerous activities for families to enjoy the outdoors and explore Jekyll Island while being green-conscious. Be sure to check out the activities below:
  
Festival Highlights
 
Friday, April 17
 
Pre-Fest Beachsweep, 10 AM–12 Noon, Beachdeck
Join the Jekyll Island Authority as they clean the beach in preparation for Earth Day. Gloves and trash bags provided. Just bring some helpful hands!
 
 
Saturday, April 18
Eco-Friendly Craft Zone & Exhibitor Area, 10 AM – 4 PM, Georgia Sea Turtle Center
Make eco-friendly crafts and peruse the numerous arts and crafts vendors, local ecology groups, and green friendly businesses displaying their items and information. Also, step inside the Georgia Sea Turtle Center to learn about sea turtles and their habitat.
 
 
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle- Regift Auction,
10 AM – 4 PM, Georgia Sea Turtle Center
Bid on a variety of items “re-gifted” to the Center in honor of the Mother Nature Festival. The Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Re-gift Auction puts a spin on the typical silent auction. Proceeds go to the continuing operation of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. We still need donated items.
 
 
Family Fishing Day 10 AM – 2 PM,
Rixen Pond behind Tidelands Nature Center
Join the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Coastal Resources Division for an afternoon of fishing at Rixen Pond. Free fishing poles provided as well as tips and advice.
 
 
Helicopter Tours 10AM – 4PM,
Jekyll Island Airport
Take a helicopter tour above Jekyll Island with Dragonfly Helicopters. $25 per person.
 
 

Kite Flying Demonstration
11 AM – 1PM, Beach at Blackbeard’s Restaurant
Watch as Coastal Windsports demonstrates their kite flying skills on the beach. Free.
 
 

Herpetology Session
2:00 PM, Tidelands Nature Center
Join the staff at Tidelands in a hands-on demonstration of amphibians and reptiles that make their home on Jekyll Island.
 
 
Outdoor Excursions
Make reservations for a variety of outdoor adventures in Dolphin Tours, Off-Shore Fishing Trips, Horseback Rides on the Beach, Kayak Excursions, a Bird Ramble, or a Beach Ecology Walk.

For more information on all of the Mother Nature festival activities and outdoor excursions, visit: www.jekyllisland.com/mothernaturefestival

Tags: Add new tag, arts and crafts, Beachscape, coastal georgia festivals, coastal windsports, conservation, dolphin tours, eco crafts, ecology, family fishing day, fishing trips, georgia beach vacation, georgia beaches, georgia coast, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, helicopter tours, jekyll island, Jekyll Island Beachscape, jekyll island mother nature festival, kite flying, Mother Nature Festival, re-gift, recycle, reduce, reuse, rixen pond, sea turtle conservation, sea turtles, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, tidelands nature center
Posted in April 2009, Beachscape | No Comments »

Thanks to Governor Perdue and the Georgia General Assembly, Georgia residents who want to show their support for conservation on Jekyll Island and the Georgia Coast can soon purchase a specialty automobile license plate featuring the Georgia Sea Turtle Center logo.The Georgia Sea Turtle Center will receive funds disbursed through the Nongame Wildlife Conservation and Wildlife Habitat Acquisition Fund under Georgia’s Specialty License Plate revenue-sharing program.


In addition to raising needed funds, the new specialty license plates will also raise awareness of the Center and its important work. The barrier islands along the Georgia coast are important nesting areas for primarily loggerhead sea turtles, but the Georgia Sea Turtle Center has quickly become a world-renowned facility that has engaged in many issues affecting the species.

“This is a new and easy way to help conservation efforts on the coast,” said Rep. Jerry Keen (R - St. Simons Island). “Georgians love to show their support in outward ways. Given the success of a similar program in Florida, we are expecting this tag to be very popular.”

The new Georgia Sea Turtle Center specialty license plate is not yet available at County tag offices, but reservations forms can be submitted by visiting www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org.

Tags: Georgia Sea Turtle Center, license plate, sea turtle conservation, turtle license plate, wildlife conservation
Posted in July 2008 | No Comments »