Monday, June 8 
5:30-7:00, Georgia Sea Turtle Center 
Georgia Sea Turtle Center – Two Years Later and Beyond 
Meet the staff at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center for a private tour of the Center and a discussion with Dr. Terry Norton, Director of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, on success stories and accomplishments from the past two years plus their vision for the future.
FREE with paid admission to the Center. Reservations Required.
  
Tuesday, June 9 
5:30 – 7:00, Georgia Sea Turtle Center 
Turtles Are Not the Only Animals that Nest on Jekyll Island - A discussion with Jim Gertis, Beekeeper, and Lydia Thompson. 
Learn from Jim Gertis and Lydia Thompson about other animals that nest on Jekyll Island. Jim will give information on bee keeping and the natural benefits of honey. Lydia will speak on Wilson’s Plovers, savvy little birds that nest on Jekyll Island’s beaches and have a unique social structure. 
FREE with paid admission to the Center. Reservations Required
  
Wednesday, June 10 
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Georgia Sea Turtle Center 
Movie Night, Finding Nemo 
Join staff from the Georgia Sea Turtle Center for a movie night at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Bring you favorite sea life stuffed animal, blanket or sleeping bag, and watch this classic under-the-seas movie. 
PLEASE NOTE: This activity is closed to registrations.
  
Thursday, June 11 
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Jekyll Island Beachdeck 
Beach Sweep 
Help us clean the Jekyll Island beach so that the sea turtles have pristine nesting grounds. 
FREE
  

Friday, June 12 
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM, Georgia Sea Turtle Center 
Breakfast with Scute and Pajama Tour 
Join the staff from the Georgia Sea Turtle Center along with Scute the Sea Turtle for a delicious breakfast and tour of the Center – in your pajamas! All kids are invited to wear their pajamas as they watch the turtles rise and shine for their day. 
$11 per person. Includes admission to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Reservations Required.
  
Saturday, June 13 
12:00 Noon – 4:00 PM, Jekyll Island Beachdeck 
Nest Fest Party at the Beachdeck 
Join the staff at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center for an afternoon of interactive educational activities, arts and crafts, and fun on the beach. Vendors and exhibitors from various organizations in the Brunswick-Golden Isles region will also be present with hands-on exhibits. Kids can test their skills in the always popular Turtle Crawl obstacle course. Plus, one or more of the rehabilitated patients from the Georgia Sea Turtle Center will be released. 
FREE
  
In addition to all these great activities, kids can visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and have their picture taken with Scute or vote on their favorite sea turtle patient to win Patient of the Year. Votes are accepted throughout the month of June. The winner will be announced online on July 2. For more information on any of these activities contact the Georgia Sea Turtle Center at 912-635-4444 or visit www.jekyllisland.com/nestfest.

Tags: beach cleaning, finding nemo, georgia beaches, georgia coast, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, georgia sea turtle center birthday, golden isles, jekyll island, Jekyll Island Beachscape, jekyll island festivals, Nest Fest, scute the sea turtle, sea turtle festival, sea turtle nesting, sea turtle nesting festival, sea turtles
Posted in Beachscape, June 2009 | No Comments »

Thanks to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, the University of Georgia, and the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, diamondback terrapins now have safe havens along the Jekyll Island Causeway. Artificial nest mounds with raccoon proof cages have been placed at strategic points to hopefully reduce the number of terrapins crossing the road.

“Every year 200-300 terrapins are hit by cars while trying to cross the causeway,” said Dr. Terry Norton, Director and Veterinarian for the Georgia Sea Turtle Center “The turtles are looking for elevated ground to nest. Since the roadways are elevated above the marshlands around them, terrapins often believe them to be suitable nesting areas.”

The mounds were built to be safe elevated nesting areas approximately 30 ft back from the edge of the causeway to thereby decrease the number of times the terrapins try to cross the road. In addition, cages on top of the mounds will reduce the threat of predation. Terrapins can get in and out of the cages through small spaces at the bottom, but predators such as raccoons can not.

The work, although in its preliminary stages, is backed by similar projects in the Northeast for wood turtles. The concept is still in a research stage, and the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and its collaborators will examine the results at the end of the nesting season to see how much of difference the project made. “We are basically testing it out,” said Norton. “So it is a research project with conservation implications.”

Tags: conservation efforts, diamondback terrapins, georgia beaches, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, georgia terrapins, georgia turtles, georgia vacations, jekyll island, jekyll island causeway, Jekyll Island Club Hotel, sea turtles, terrapin turtles, turtle nesting
Posted in Press Releases | No Comments »

Tags: Dr. Terry Norton, georgia sea turtle, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, golden isles, golden isles vacations, jekyll island, sea turtles, st. simons island, weather channel
Posted in Happenings, Nature Connection | 1 Comment »

Doing What’s Best for Sea Turtles

An average working person’s day goes a little something like this: Wake up. Take a shower. Put on clean clothes. Eat a quick breakfast. Jump in the car and head to work. Work, work, work. Enjoy a leisurely lunch. Back to work for a few more hours. Drive home at the end of the day. Prepare dinner, then enjoy the rest of the evening. Many of you can probably relate to this repetitive schedule of events. I know I can. But each of these small doings has a huge impact on the health of the planet. Showering uses gallons of water. Cleaning clothes introduces chemicals into lakes and streams. Commuting burns precious fossil fuels. The list goes on and on. You’ve heard the saying, ‘Earth Day, Every Day,’ but how often have you put it to use?

Everyday, there are hundreds of opportunities to do at least one thing to help the plight of the planet. When in doubt, I remember what Dr. Norton once told me -‘Do what’s best for the sea turtles.’ It may require additional effort, but it’s worth it to sustain our planetary home for a few more
years. Here are a few earth-shattering statistics from the Environmental Sustainability Committee:

• Americans’ total yearly waste would fill a convoy of garbage trucks long enough to wrap around the Earth six times and reach halfway to the moon.
• At the consumption level of the average American, four additional planets of resources would be needed to support Earth’s six billion inhabitants.
• The average North American consumes ten times as much as the average person living in China and thirty times as much as the average person living in India.

For the next 365 days, I’d like to challenge you to become more eco-conscious and get creative! To show that it’s not as hard as it sounds, I’ll be posting my ideas and projects for the coming year each month in Caretta Chronicles. In the meantime, remember-‘Do what’s best for the sea turtles.’

Tags: being green, conservation, eco-friendly, ecosystem, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, jekyll island, jekyll island beaches, jekyll island turtles, kelly o'keefe, science education, sea turtles, turtle habitats
Posted in Beachscape, May 2009 | No Comments »

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.

Tags: Georgia Sea Turtle Center, jekyll island authority, Jekyll Island Events, jekyll island turtles, Loggerhead Turtles, Savannah events, Savannah Road Races, Sea Turtle Hospitals, sea turtles, Tybee Island, Tybee Island Events
Posted in Happenings, Nature Connection, 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 »

So you want to be a rehabilitation technician or a hospital coordinator? It sounds so glamorous. Well, it is very rewarding to work directly with and help sea turtles and every day there is something new to learn. In reality, many tasks are repetitive- scrubbing tanks, cleaning feces out of the water, doing water changes, chopping fish and other food items, and lifting heavy objects are all part of a technician’s day. However, it is important for our staff to take advantage of this intense labor to put their observation skills to work. There are many subtle signs that may indicate a turtle is getting better or worse-their level of activity, appetite, defecation, fecal observation, etc. Each turtle has its own personality and when you work with them everyday, you begin to see subtleties that may otherwise go unrecognized.
Multi-tasking is a key skill that must be mastered when working as a member of the animal care team. It is possible that in just one day on the job, one person may clean tanks, perform blood work, fecal exams, x-rays, anesthesia, assist in surgery, train volunteers, talk to the public about what we do, chop fish and prepare various diets, tube feed a turtle, repair a filtration system, back wash and do a major water change on a tank, mix artificial salt water, perform water quality tests, clean instruments, wrap surgery packs, order supplies, write an article, check emails, hold a turtle for treatment, give an injection, clean a wound, admit a new patient and go to a meeting. Lunch may not be on the agenda. This often ends up as a 12 hour work day.

So who are these crazy people? Erika, Michelle, Jeannie, Amy, and Rachel, that’s who! There are also a whole host of amazing volunteers but that story is for another day. Erika Kemler is our hospital coordinator. She ensures that everything functions properly from treatments to keeping the hospital organized to making sure we have all the supplies we need to assisting in anesthesia and surgery to maintaining all the medical equipment. The list goes on and on. Erika assists in all aspects of husbandry as well. Michelle is our tank and filtration specialist. We depend on her tremendously for her knowledge in this area, as well as all aspects of our operation from husbandry, veterinary care, and interacting with the public. Jeannie is our commissary queen. She is in charge of ensuring all patient diets are correct and fish and other food items are of the highest quality and fully stocked. Like the other staff, Jeannie is involved with all aspects of husbandry and veterinary care. Amy is the new kid on the block, but no less important than the others. She is a very fast learner and will eventually be involved in all aspects of husbandry and veterinary care. Rachel is our current husbandry intern. Although, the focus of this internship is husbandry (feeding, cleaning, observations, tank and filtration maintenance, etc), there are opportunities to be involved in the entire operation.

It has been a true pleasure to see our program blossom to what it is today. These women are great at what they do and the reason for our success. The energy that you feel and see when you are working them is infectious. I truly could not ask for a better team. They are amazing. Come to the Center and see for yourself.

Tags: Add new tag, georgia beaches, georgia coast, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, jekyll island, jekyll island beach vacation, Jekyll Island Beachscape, sea turtles, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island
Posted in Beachscape, March 2009 | No Comments »

Tags: CNN, Dr. Terry Norton, georgia beaches, georgia sea turtles, jekyll island vacation, Reynolds Wolf, Sea Turtle Rehabilitation, sea turtles, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island
Posted in Diversions, In the News, Nature Connection | 2 Comments »

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island will be featured on CNN Saturday, February 21! The segment will air some time between 6am and 1pm, and will re-air in the evening. You can also watch the piece online by going to CNN.com. Make sure you tune in to catch Jekyll Island’s own renowned sea turtles make their television debuts!

Tags: cnn segment, february 21 2009, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, GSTC, gstc on cnn, jekyll island, jekyll island cnn, jekyll island press, Sea Turtle Rehabilitation, sea turtles
Posted in Diversions, Nature Connection | No Comments »

Check out this great article about Jekyll Island from Family Motorcoach Magazine!

Tags: ga, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, jekyll island, jekyll island beach vacation, jekyll island lodging, motorcoach vacation, RV travel, sea turtles
Posted in Beach Bummin', Camping, Diversions, History comes Alive, In the News, Nature Connection | No Comments »