Georgia Sea Turtle Center to Release Two Loggerhead Sea Turtles
Friday, April 24th, 2009
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island will release two rehabilitated loggerhead sea turtles, Snowball and Blizzard, off the coast of Tybee Island, GA on Saturday, April 25. The release will be held in conjunction with the 5th Annual Tybee Turtle Trot hosted by the Tybee Island Marine Science Center.
Both Snowball and Blizzard were part of a cold stunning event off the North Carolina coast. Cold-stunned sea turtles become comatose due of a sudden drop in their environmental water temperature, called cold-stunning. Sea turtles, like other reptiles, are ectothermic, or “cold blooded”. For this reason, all of their bodily functions shut down when water temperatures fall below 50° F. They often also contract secondary problems such as fungal pneumonia and bone infections. Snowball and Blizzard arrived at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island on November 26, 2008 and were slowly warmed, re-nourished, and treated with antibiotics and other medications. Now back to a healthy condition, the turtles are ready for release back into the ocean.
The public is invited to attend and observe the release which is set for 10:00 AM near the Tybee Island Marine Science Center. For more information on the release and the Tybee Turtle Trot event visit tybeeturtletrot.net. For more information on the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island visit georgiaseaturtlecenter.org or jekyllisland.com.
