Marine debris and derelict fishing gear have severely negative impacts on sea turtles and other wildlife, locally and throughout the world. Recently, I assisted in a Northern Right whale disentanglement effort. Right whales spend the winter months in Georgia and northeast Florida waters. In the wild, only 300 of these amazing creatures remain. Many become entangled in fishing gear where they reside in northeastern Atlantic waters. This particular whale had become entangled in derelict lobster pot gear wrapped around its head and mouth. The ropes were embedded very deep into the skin. Two days of intense efforts by a number of experts have been unsuccessful in removing the entangled gear and the whale’s survival depends on it’s removal. This amazing disentanglement team consisting of several individuals, including three local GADNR staff, will continue the gear removal efforts. Like the Northern Right whale, Leatherback sea turtles become entangled in lobster pot gear and the outcome is often fatal. Another example of fishing gear that has huge impacts on a population level is crab traps and their effect on diamondback terrapins. Traps are often abandoned and left in marsh waters where diamondback terrapins reside.

Baited with fish, the traps become a significant threat to foraging diamondback terrapins that find their way into the traps and drown. A simple clip, known as a Terrapin Excluder Device, helps keep these terrapins out of crab traps and part of a viable population. Our colleagues at the University of Georgia recovered a trap in a coastal Georgia creek containing 90 drowned terrapins. This is only one trap and there are thousands more out there.

Plastics, fish hooks, fishing line, and even beach chairs adversely affect a variety of wildlife. The GSTC is having a positive impact on this devastating problem in sea turtles, marine birds and mammals through our efforts in rehabilitation, monitoring (SEANet), and education programs. You can have an impact by containing your trash, cleaning up the beach, recycling fishing line, placing excluder devices on crab traps and checking them frequently, and much more. Please visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center to learn more about this issue and how you can help.

Tags: Beachscape, coastal georgia creek, diamondback terrapins, fishing safety, florida waters, GADNR, georgia coast, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, georgia waters, jekyll island, jekyll island authority, jekyll island beach, leatherback sea turtles, northern white whale, recycle fishing line, sea life safety, SEANet, terrapin excluder device, terrapin safety, terry norton, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, university of georgia, wildlife safety
Posted in April 2009, Beachscape | 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 »

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center would like to announce their new hours for Spring 2009 through Winter 2010.

April 09-Nov 09:
Monday 10am-2pm
Tues-Sun 9am-5pm

Dec 09-Feb 10
Monday CLOSED
Tues-Sun 9am-5pm

Holidays:
Thanksgiving Day: 10am-2pm
Christmas Eve Day: CLOSED
Christmas Day: CLOSED
New Year’s Day: CLOSED

Tags: Georgia Museums, jekyll island sea turtles, Jekyll Island vacations, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island
Posted in Press Releases | 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 »

Dylan will be released at 11 a.m. Monday morning.

Tags: Dylan the Sea Turtle, sea turtles, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island
Posted in In the News, Press Releases | No Comments »

Reprinted from The Brunswick News

By Anna Ferguson

An iconic figure will wave goodbye to the Golden Isles soon, leaving behind a longtime home to make her way in the world on her own. Dylan, the media darling loggerhead sea turtle, will be released from Jekyll Island’s Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Monday. The release is being hailed as one of the island’s biggest media events, with camera crews and news outlets from across the country, including ABC morning news show “Good Morning America,” converging on the center to cover the release. A decade ago, Dylan was rescued as a hatchling from the Jekyll Island beach and housed at the Tidelands Nature Center. From there, she was sent to Atlanta to be a staple at the Georgia Aquarium when it opened in 2005. She was later transported back home to Jekyll in 2007 when the center opened.

Dylan’s travels throughout Georgia have long been tracked by the public eye, and the turtle has developed a true celebrity persona, said Michelle Kaylor, an aquarist with the sea turtle center. “She’s really a diva,” Kaylor said. “She loves to splash visitors when they aren’t watching her.” Having been with the center since it opened a year ago, Kaylor and her fellow staffers have worked with Dylan to ready her for her inevitable release back to the ocean.

She is now strong, healthy and able to eat and hunt on her own, proving she is ready for the release, Kaylor said. Though the staff admits to being sad to see the turtle go, they are also equally as excited. Releasing her back to the ocean is much like watching a child go off to college, Kaylor said. “It’s bittersweet,” she said. “We’ve been working hard to get her ready, and now she is there. It’s time for her to go.” But, Kaylor adds, this isn’t the last the center will be hearing of Dylan. A tracking satellite placed under the skin will enable the center to keep tabs on her. “We’re hopeful that she’ll come back when she’s ready to nest and lay her own eggs here,” Kaylor said. Dylan’s release will come with the fanfare befitting a shelled superstar and will coincide with the one-year anniversary of the sea turtle center, said Eric Garvey, marketing director for the Jekyll Island Authority. Public events scheduled for the weekend include the release of two other turtles Saturday and a celebration at the center. All the merriment will lead to the release of Dylan on Monday, when a crowd of spectators is expected to flock to Jekyll’s beach to say good-bye and good luck. “A lot of folks have been following Dylan and want to take this opportunity to say good-bye,” Garvey said. “It is a little sad, but mostly, it is a very exciting time.” The sea turtle’s plight has paralleled the turtle center’s rise to the forefront of public attention, Garvey said, as it has gone from a small grass roots organization to a full-fledged facility with a highly praised mission of turtle education, research and rehabilitation. Dylan, too, has brought a spotlight to Jekyll’s enduring goal of environmental preservation and awareness. “We have a very strong mission for conservation, and it is something that we have been striving to carry out for a long time,” Garvey said. “The island is an environmental destination, known for its goals of conservation. Dylan has brought that mission into the public eye and made even more people aware of our conservations efforts.” As Dylan makes her exit from the center, several new turtles will be making their way in, including Joey, another sea turtle from the Georgia Aquarium. Garvey anticipates that Joey will be brought to the center some time in the coming week. BREAKOUT To celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Sea Turtle Weekend will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday at various locations on Jekyll Island. Crafts, games and activities will be held at the center from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Dylan’s release will be 8:30 a.m. Monday, departing from the island on the beach behind the convention center. Attendees are asked to arrive early. For more information, call 635-4444 or visit www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org.

Tags: Dylan the Sea Turtle, sea turtles, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island
Posted in Diversions, In the News, Nature Connection, Press Releases | No Comments »

What: 

Dylan, a loggerhead sea turtle - one of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center’s first patients - will return to the ocean.

When:

Monday, June 30, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. – Dylan will depart the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and arrive on the beach at about 7:00 a.m.

All times are subject to change

Where:

– Georgia Sea Turtle Center, 214 Stable Road, Nat’l Historic Landmark District, Jekyll Island, GA

– Beach behind and slightly north of the Jekyll Island Convention Center, Jekyll Island, GA

Why:

Dylan, a straggler hatchling who was rescued on Jekyll Island almost 10 years ago, has been a local ambassador for sea turtles. Visitors to the Tidelands Nature Center, Coastal Encounters, the Georgia Aquarium and, most recently, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center have enjoyed watching Dylan for many years. Now that her carapace is over 50 cm long, Dylan is big enough to return to the ocean according to standards set by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Since May of 2007, when Dylan returned to Jekyll Island from the Georgia Aquarium, she has been learning the skills needed to return to the wild. She will be fitted with a special satellite transmitter so Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC) researchers and visitors to the GSTC and Georgia Aquarium Web sites can monitor her activities and movements.

Activities:

Sunday, June 29, TBD – Final preparation and satellite tag fitting (GSTC)

Monday, June 30, 7:00 a.m. – Arrival at beach and subsequent release at the beach behind and slightly north of the Jekyll Island Convention Center

All times are subject to change

Tags: Dylan the Sea Turtle, sea turtles, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island
Posted in Diversions, In the News, Nature Connection, Press Releases | No Comments »

Dr. Bill Irwin, Director

Even after studying sea turtle navigation for 10 years I have no explanation for this. Bev, who was stranded near Panama City Beach, FL, spent a year there in treatment at Gulf World, was transported to the GSTC on Jekyll Island, Ga (over land, by vehicle), spent a few months here, was transported back to PCB, FL (over land, by vehicle) and released in November 2007, has actually found her way back to Jekyll Island!! Is this a coincidence? Probably. But it sure does show that fact is sometimes stranger than fiction!

Right: Bev’s entire satellite track. [Note: the dotted line across south FL is the tracking program's best interpretation of the data because she was really cruising when she went around the end and we only received sporadic, low-quality transmissions.]

Below: The last few days.

Keep track of her movements at SEATURTLE.ORG:
http://www.seaturtle.org/tracking/?tag_id=80060

Tags: , jekyll island, sea turtles, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island
Posted in Diversions, In the News, Nature Connection, Press Releases | 1 Comment »