Georgia's only Sea Turtle rehabilitation center. jekyllisland.com/gstc We are the only hospital of its kind in the state of Georgia.
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The Jekyll Island Authorityโs Georgia Sea Turtle Center is a hospital for sick and injured sea turtles. The Center is open to the general public and offers an interactive exhibit gallery and rehabilitation pavilion with several viewable sea turtle patients. Group rates and tours are available.
A turtle's shell is more than just their home! ๐ข Itโs part of their skeleton, fused with their spine and ribs. This built-in armor consists of two sections: the ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ (top) and the ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ง๐ค๐ฃ (bottom), connected on each side by a bridge.
Sometimes, we encounter turtles with injuries to their shells. Luckily, our team knows just how to help them heal and return to their natural habitat.
Turtle-ly obsessed? ๐ข Become a supporter for unlimited general admission for a whole year!
Unlimited general admission for the primary cardholder. 10% discount on select GSTC retail items in-center and online. 10% discount on Evening Turtle Walks, Sunrise Turtle Walks, Ride with Dawn Patrol, Ride with Night Patrol, and Behind-the-Scenes Tours...
Surgery time! ๐ฉบ Reishi is an Eastern diamondback rattlesnake that was found on our causeway. Recently, she underwent surgery to get a transmitter. This will allow us to track and monitor her movements once sheโs released back into the wild. ๐
โ๏ธ Ready to take the plunge? โ๏ธ
Join us on November 30 for ๐พ๐ค๐ก๐-๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ช๐ฃ๐๐ and dive into the chilly Atlantic to raise funds for the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Each winter, we care for turtles who have faced hypothermic conditions, and your support helps provide the care they need to heal.
Sign up by October 26 to snag a t-shirt! โฌ๏ธ
Take a โcold-stunned' plunge into the chilly Atlantic in support of sea turtles on the Georgia coast!
What a reunion! Sending all of our love to Bandit and Kendall! โค๏ธโ๐ฉน
โจ Patient Update โจ
Thanks to the dedicated care of our team and a regimen of vitamins and calcium, ๐๐ช๐๐ก๐ฎ is on the road to recovery! As cold-blooded creatures, turtles heal at a much slower pace. This means that Muhly will be sticking around for some time.
The good news? You have plenty of time to stop by and give Muhly some encouragement in person! โค๏ธโ๐ฉน
โจ Meet the Patient โจ
Say hello to ๐พ๐ค๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐! This little Kemp's ridley from Savannah joined us at the end of July. Cootuh arrived with a suspected boat strike injury that caused a cut on their front right flipper and damage to the marginal scutesโthe outermost edges of a turtle's shell.
Cootuh is enjoying all the TLC from our team and healing nicely! โค๏ธโ๐ฉน
Celebrate ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ก๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ with us! ๐
While we're known for our turtle care, we are also caretakers of many of Jekyll's wild residents. ๐ฆ Take a peek at some of the amazing animals we've seen along the way.
It's been an eventful few weeks at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center! We waved goodbye to green sea turtles, Gamby and Quintet, and Smalls, our Kemp's ridley, as they swam back home. ๐
Wishing them safe travels and happy adventures in the wild!
๐ Volunteer Spotlight ๐
This month, we're thrilled to introduce Joyce, a retired naval officer who has been an invaluable part of our volunteer family for 5 years! Joyce prepares food for our patients and assists with beach patrols. She recently completed 500 hours of service! Beyond her work here, sheโs also a foster dog mom!
Thank you for all you do, Joyce! ๐ข๐
โจPatient Updateโจ
Meet ๐๐ข๐๐ก๐ก๐จ! This little turtle is a Kemp's Ridley, the smallest of the sea turtle family! After coming to us with fish hook trauma, our vet decided surgery was the best course of action to remove it. The procedure went smoothly, and Smalls is now on the mend. โค๏ธโ๐ฉน
๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ, ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ง๐๐๐๐! ๐
One year ago today, Frank was discovered at the bottom of a nest our research team was inventorying. Since then, they've embarked on an incredible journey with us, growing stronger and helping us educate the public about sea turtles. Swing by the Center to say hello and celebrate Frank Srirachaโs special day with us! ๐ข๐
Only ๐ฉ๐ฌ๐ค ๐ฌ๐๐๐ ๐จ left to experience our beach programs until next season! โฐ
Enjoy a peaceful morning on the beach, learn about sea turtles, and catch the stunning sunrise on a Ride with Dawn Patrol or Sunrise Turtle Walk. We hope to see you soon! ๐๏ธ https://bit.ly/3p6lUUQ
See ya later, Sequoia! ๐ This resilient gal came to us after being hit by a car on the causeway. Though she had to have her front left limb amputated, that doesn't slow down this busy lady. Sequoia laid 7 eggs, which are now in our incubators at the Center!
Sheโs one tough terrapin, and weโre so happy to see her thriving in the wild again. Good luck, Sequoia! ๐
Our treatment window offers a glimpse into the incredible work we do every day! โจ
Did you catch a cool procedure or see something amazing during your visit? Share your photos & stories with us in the comments below! ๐ธ
Even flippered friends have to visit the doctor! Whether a complex surgery or routine exam, our team does it all! ๐ช
Grab your tickets and come see them in action on a behind-the-scenes tour!
๐๏ธ https://bit.ly/3yaNt6B
Veterinary students, this one's for you! โฌ๏ธ Join us for a hands-on externship in sea turtle and reptile medicine. ๐ข Applications close August 31โdonโt miss out!
๐ Veterinary Externship Opportunity! ๐
If you're a veterinary student eager to gain hands-on experience in sea turtle and reptile medicine, this is your chance to work with the incredible team at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.
Our veterinary externships are offered from late February/early March to October in 2โ4-week blocks. Apply by August 31! ๐
๐ https://bit.ly/3WM5mBB
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center will reopen Wednesday, August 7 under normal operating hours. We look forward to seeing you!
All Jekyll Island Authority offices, amenities, and operations will resume on Wednesday, August 7 with the exception of the following: Jekyll Island Golf Club will be on reduced play on Indian ...
CLOSURE NOTICE
Due to increased weather conditions from Tropical Storm Debby, the following additional facilities will be closed Monday, August 5 and Tuesday, August 6: CLOSURES JIA Administrative ...
โจPatient Updateโจ
This tiny gal is ๐๐๐ง๐ฉ๐ง๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐, a gopher tortoise that came to us after a fire ant attack. ๐ฅ We're thrilled to share that sheโs making fantastic progress and has even doubled in weight since joining us. Quite the appetite for a little turtle! ๐ฝ๏ธ
The work we do every day wouldnโt be possible without amazing supporters like YOU! One fantastic way to support our mission is to ๐ผ๐๐ค๐ฅ๐ฉ-๐-๐๐๐จ๐ฉ!
Whatโs in it for you?
- Regular updates on your chosen nest & sea turtle releases ๐ข
- A personalized adoption certificate ๐
- A photo of your adopted nest ๐ธ
๐ https://bit.ly/30e3vYG
We're just one week away from our first Sunrise Walk of the season! ๐ Join us bright and early to learn about our nest management practices and witness the beginning of a life-long journey for our sea turtle hatchlings. ๐ https://bit.ly/3y3Afck
๐ Volunteer Spotlight ๐
We're thrilled to celebrate Mary Kathleen, a dedicated volunteer since 2013. This month, she reached an incredible milestoneโ3,000 hours of service!
Mary Kathleen has worked in animal husbandry, marine debris cleanup, and special events. In 2023, she earned the Bronze Presidential Award for over 100 hours of service in a year. For several years, she dedicated over 400 hours, making a huge impact on our coast and marine wildlife.
Thank you, Mary Kathleen, for your extraordinary dedication! We are so lucky to have dedicated volunteers like you! ๐ข๐
๐ฃ Last call for two of our summer beach programs! ๐ฃ
There is ๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ left to join an Evening Turtle Walks and Ride with Night Patrol. Don't miss your chance to learn more about our research program, sea turtle nesting, and, with any luck, see a nesting sea turtle! ๐ซ https://bit.ly/3y3Afck
๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช to an incredible anonymous donor who sent us the supplies pictured here. Your generosity means everything to us and the animals we serve. โค๏ธ
If you're looking for additional ways to support the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, consider exploring our Amazon wishlists:
๐ Education: https://amzn.to/4daQ93B
๐ฅ Hospital: https://amzn.to/3wEd1II
๐ฌ Research: https://amzn.to/4cSKj6B
Every item directly benefits our efforts to protect and conserve sea turtles. ๐ข
100 James Road
Jekyll Island, GA
31527
| Monday | 9am - 5pm |
| Tuesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Wednesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Thursday | 9am - 5pm |
| Friday | 9am - 5pm |
| Saturday | 9am - 5pm |
| Sunday | 9am - 5pm |
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๐๐๐ ๐๐ช๐ง๐ฉ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ก๐ช๐๐๐๐: ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ฅ ๐ถ๏ธ In honor of naming our new loggerhead hatchling, some of our team participated in a 'Hot Ones' challenge to answer questions about sea turtles. Find out why we keep a hatchling each year, where this hatchling came from, and more! And don't forget to help us name the hatchling by voting online for ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ง๐๐๐๐ or ๐๐ค๐ฉ ๐๐๐ช๐๐. Vote here: https://bit.ly/3s0sQHC
Goodbye, Aster! ๐ ๐ข We hope you're living the 'good life' in the ocean!
Wave Goodbye to Jones ๐๐ข Last week we released Jones, a green sea turtle discovered on Cumberland Island. Jones received his name in honor of Jones Hooks, who served as the executive director of Jekyll Island for 15 years before retiring this past June. Although Hooks has attended numerous releases before, this was the first time that he placed a turtle into the ocean himself! We wish both of the Joneses the best of luck as they embark on their next adventures! ๐
Let's go girls! ๐ถ
It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it! ๐ข
Bye baby terrapins...we'll see you next year! ๐ ๐ข When you visit Zoo Atlanta, be sure to visit our diamondback terrapin hatchlings and send us your photos of them!
It's that time of year again... ๐ข Our partnership with Zoo Atlanta is still a large part of our diamondback terrapin project, and the hatchlings we sent to Atlanta last year were brought back to us and released into the marsh! Stay tuned to see the next group of hatchlings leave for Atlanta! ๐
Breaking News: Minkus, the diamondback terrapin, graces us with her presence during the best interview you'll ever see! ๐ข ๐
Tank, the gopher tortoise, knows how to appreciate a good meal! ๐ฅ
This is how excited we are for the weekend! ๐ ๐ข
Just two weeks remain of ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ก๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐น ๐ Have you joined us on the beach yet this summer? A few tickets are still available so book your experience now! ๐ https://bit.ly/3oLHvEx
๐๐ด๐ฐ๐๐พ๐ฝ ๐ท, ๐ด๐ฟ๐ธ๐๐พ๐ณ๐ด ๐ผ On this episode of ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐พ๐๐ช๐จ๐๐ฌ๐๐ฎ, take a look at our diamondback terrapin hatchlings! Don't miss your chance to see them up close in the pavilion when you visit the Center. ๐ข
Goodbye Tallu ๐ Our team has carefully cared for Tallu, and this Loggerhead sea turtle is ready to return home! Tallu was named after the remarkable Tallu Fish, Jekyll Islandโs first museum curator. Join us in wishing this turtle good luck in the Atlantic!
Stuckey is Home! ๐๐ข EDIT: The contest has ended. Our team released Stuckey back to the ocean, and to celebrate, Stuckey's is giving a free pecan log to everyone that makes a $25+ donation to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center until we raise $1,000! Support our work: https://bit.ly/3vxwWWi
#PatientUpdate Our Kemp's ridley patient, Aquarama, who was injured in a dredge, has become strong enough for a hospital tank and started to eat seafood! You can visit Auquarama at our center or symbolically adopt this patient at https://bit.ly/3wKvelE Do you know what this turtle was named after? Visit our partners Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum to learn more!
Happy St. Patrick's Day! ๐ What better way for our green sea turtles to celebrate than by snacking on some tasty greens?
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is the Stateโs only sea turtle education and rehabilitation facility. The Center offers the public a chance to learn about sea turtles and see rehabilitation in action with a host of interactive exhibits and experiences. Year-round indoor and outdoor programs are also available for guests of all ages.
Visit the official Georgia Sea Turtle Center website to learn more about the programs, research, and other important work being done to save turtles and other coastal wildlife.
