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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 5pm Sunday 9am - 5pm

Georgia Sea Turtle Center

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Jekyll Island, GA
Georgia Sea Turtle Center

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 Authority’s 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.

12/19/2024

✨ Meet the Patient! ✨

Give a warm welcome to our new loggerhead sea turtle patient, 𝙉𝙪𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙜! The New England Aquarium and volunteer pilot group, Turtles Fly Too, transferred Nutmeg to us after they were found cold-stunned. They also have a broken front flipper with a large laceration. We are keeping a close eye to make sure no infection occurs!

⬇️ Follow along on Nutmeg's recovery! ⬇️
https://bit.ly/34qvCqX

12/18/2024

Do you know someone who is turtle-ly obsessed?! 🐢

Give the gift of a symbolic adoption! Your loved one will enjoy updates on their adopted sea turtle’s journey from intake to release. ❤️‍🩹

Support Jekyll Island's Georgia Sea Turtle Center

12/17/2024

History lesson! 📚 Did you know the building that now houses the Georgia Sea Turtle Center used to be Jekyll Island’s power plant? During the Club era, it provided electricity to the island’s elite vacationers. After the state of Georgia purchased Jekyll, this historic building became a Christmas shop, Jekyll Island Pottery, and even an antique car museum before transforming into the GSTC you know today. 🚗

Want to learn more about Jekyll's rich history? Check out Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum!

12/16/2024

Our 2024 cold-stuns are here, and they’re full of 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚 and personality! 🌶️

Meet 𝙎𝙚𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙚, 𝙋𝙖𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙠𝙖, 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙮, 𝙇𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙨, 𝙍𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙮, 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙢, 𝙎𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙣, 𝙇𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧, 𝙂𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧, 𝙊𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙣𝙤, 𝘾𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤, 𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙡, 𝘽𝙖𝙮 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙛, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚!

Which is your favorite? Adopt one (or all!) today and be part of their story: https://bit.ly/34qvCqX

12/13/2024

🎉 We're official sea-lebrities! Check out our full CNN feature here. ⬇️

12/12/2024

The holiday season is in full swing at the Center! Our selection of hand-painted ornaments brings a little Jekyll charm to your holidays while supporting the care of our patients. ❤️‍🩹

Add one to your decor! ➡️ https://bit.ly/3Oi5YuG

12/10/2024

All shelled friends are welcome for treatment here! 🐢 Get an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at our amazing veterinary team in action and meet some of our incredible patients up close.

Space is limited—grab your tickets before they’re gone! 🎟️
https://bit.ly/4f6oZf8

12/09/2024

One of the first steps in recovery sometimes involves wound VAC therapy (vacuum-assisted closure). This innovative treatment helps draw damaged muscle tissue to the surface while removing toxins and debris, promoting faster healing. As scar tissue forms over time, the turtle's shell will heal and they will be ready to return to the wild! 🐢 💪

12/06/2024

✏️ 𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨! ✏️

Let us bring the fun and discovery of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center to your classroom — no travel required! Our virtual field trips allow your students to explore the wonder of our Center, straight from their desks!

Learn more! ➡️ https://bit.ly/2F47RuW

12/05/2024

✨ Patient Update ✨

Flotsam has been in our hospital for over a month and is healing nicely! Last month, we took them for their first computed tomography (CT) scan and noticed what seemed to be pneumonia. Good news — Flotsam had a second CT recently and we believe the pneumonia is improving!

Swing by the Center to give Flotsam some encouragement in person! ❤️‍🩹

12/03/2024

Join us this 𝙂𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙏𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙙𝙖𝙮 to support the rescue, rehabilitation, and research of sea turtles right here on the Georgia coast. ❤️‍🩹

Many of our patients arrive in critical condition, and your support ensures they receive the life-saving care they need.

Give here: https://bit.ly/3AORfUR 🎁

12/02/2024

🥁 Drumroll, please... 🥁

The winning theme for this year’s cold-stunned turtles is 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨! 🌶️ Get ready for some seriously zesty names this season.

Now it’s your turn—drop your spice-inspired suggestions below! ⬇️

11/30/2024

🗳️ 𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙑𝙤𝙩𝙚! 🗳️

Time’s almost up! As we get ready to care for this year’s cold-stunned turtles, we need your help to pick their name theme. Voting closes tomorrow, so don’t wait!

Donate to vote below for your favorite theme:
- Potatoes 🥔
- Shades of Blue 💙
- Spices 🌶️

As we prepare for the arrival of our cold-stunned turtles, help us choose a name theme! Cold-stunning affects sea turtles who get caught in chilly waters when the temperature drops rapidly. Every year, we work with local and regional partners to rehabilitate these turtles and prepare them to be rele...

11/29/2024

Santa says...you need a Georgia Sea Turtle Center ornament! 🎅

This season, each ornament purchased will directly support the care and rehabilitation of our patients. For the first time ever, they are now for sale in the Center and online! 🎁

Shop from Jekyll Island's Georgia Sea Turtle Center; Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum; Life is Good Jekyll Island; Guest Information Center; and more.

11/27/2024

Ever heard of epibiota? These are organisms that live on the surface of other living organisms, like former patient, Honeysuckle! 🌱🦠

While some epibiota, such as barnacles and algae, can be harmless, others can pose risks to the health of the turtles. When too many organisms attach to a turtle's shell, it can hinder their mobility, affect their ability to swim or lead to infections. Sea turtles rely on their strong, clean shells to survive in their natural habitats. Keeping their shells free from excessive epibiota is crucial for their overall health. ❤️‍🩹

11/25/2024

Find a turtle in trouble? 🐢

As temperatures drop across the coast, sea turtles may become lethargic or unresponsive. If you spot one on Jekyll Island or anywhere along the Georgia coast, please don’t touch it! Call right away for guidance. Your quick action can make all the difference in saving them! 🌊

11/22/2024

that gopher tortoises are essential for their environment? 🤯

The life of a gopher tortoise revolves around their burrows, where they spend about 80% of their life. These average around 15 feet long but have been documented to reach as long as 40 feet! However, these burrows are not just their home; other animals also utilize them to take shelter from predators, fires and for warmth during the winter!

11/20/2024

Whether in-person or from afar, we hope you're planning to join us 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙎𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙙𝙖𝙮 for a plunge into the chilly Atlantic! ❄️

Register now to support cold-stunned sea turtles from across our coast. ⬇️

Take a ‘cold-stunned' plunge into the chilly Atlantic in support of sea turtles on the Georgia coast!

Address

100 James Road
Jekyll Island, GA
31527

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	9am - 5pm
Sunday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+19126354444

Website

https://www.jekyllisland.com/gstc

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Videos

Happy first day of winter! ❄️ #DidYouKnow that turtles are ectothermic? This means they rely on outside warmth to stay cozy. To keep from getting too chilly, sea turtles migrate to warmer waters, while box turtles bury underground! 🐢

Rising temps, eroding beaches put sea turtles at risk

🎉 We're official sea-lebrities! Check out our full CNN feature here. ⬇️

The early turtle gets the worm! 🐛

It was a happy release day for Muckalee the mud turtle! She first arrived at our hospital with a carapace (top shell) injury after a dog bite. After a month in our care, Muckalee laid 2 eggs! 🥚 After several months, she was released in St. Mary's where she was originally found. 👏 Stay tuned for updates on Muckalee's babies! 🥚

Turtles like salad too! 🥗 Green sea turtles are herbivores, so in our hospital, we treat them to a fresh mix of lettuce, cucumber, and bell pepper. Fun fact: they eat so many greens that even their insides have a greenish hue—hence the name! 🐢 Look closely at their beaks, and you’ll see serrated edges, perfectly designed to tear through sea grasses and seaweeds in the wild.

We already miss seeing little ones head for the waves! 🌊

It's spooky season at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center! 👻 Muhly is getting in the spirit by munching on a pumpkin-shaped seafood ice block. Our team is always on the hunt for creative ways to provide food and enrichment!

turtle-y terrifying 👻

We ❤️ you, Minkus!

Tank

Racing into the weekend like former patient, Tank! 🏁💨

Curious how we track turtles? Check out 𝙉𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙚, a beautiful loggerhead and former resident of Burton 4-H Center on Tybee Island, who came for a visit last month to receive a tracker prior to release. This process involves sanding and cleaning the shell before applying a turtle-safe epoxy to secure the transmitter. These devices help us track movements and learn more about Nessie. Check out this link and see where Nessie has traveled: https://bit.ly/3ZofbbI 🌎

pov: you find a straggler hatchling

POV: you're excavating a nest with us and find a straggler hatchling! 🐢 When this happens, we weigh and measure this tiny turtle before helping them make their way to the water. 🌊

Shortcuts

About the Georgia Sea Turtle Center

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is the State’s 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.