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... development; harvesting sea turtles and eggs; injury or death of turtles entangled or ingesting marine debris; and incidental capture and drowning during commercial fisheries activities. Additionally, infectious disease such as fibropapillomatosis (FP) and pollution are also having a negative affect on sea turtle populations. Five species of sea turtles can be found in Georgia's coastal waters; however, the loggerhead (Caretta caretta) is the only one to nest in significant numbers. Over the past decade, an average annual rate of 238 stranded sea turtles have been found on Georgia beaches and coastal waters. Most of these turtles are found dead with a small percentage still alive. Currently, there are no facilities in Georgia to rehabilitate the turtles after their initial evaluation and emergency therapy; therefore, the turtles must be transported long distances to reach a suitable facility. An historic power plant in the historic district on Jekyll Island will be renovated and serve as the educational component of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Additionally, facilities for rehabilitation and veterinary care will be added onto the existing building. The primary focus of the center will be to educate the general public regarding sea turtle biology, natural history, and conservation; to conduct health related research on free-ranging sea turtles in Georgia; and to rehabilitate injured and ill sea turtles found in Georgia and surrounding states. Key words: sea turtles, Jekyll Island, education, rehabilitation, Georgia Sea Turtle Center
INTRODUCTION
Along the coast of Georgia, a cluster of eight barrier islands, are separated from the mainland by an extensive system of salt marshes and sounds. Unlike other barrier islands of the east coast, Georgia's remain relatively undeveloped and retain much of their native wilderness (1).
Five of the seven species of sea turtles are found in Georgia's coastal waters, but the loggerhead (Caretta caretta) is the only one to nest here in abundance (2) with approximately 1,000 loggerhead sea turtle nests found annually (3). The green (Chelonian mydas) and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles occasionally nest in Georgia and use the coastal waters as a foraging habitat and migratory pathway (2). Kemp's Ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempi) migrate through and forage in Georgia waters as sub-adults (2). During the summer of 2005, the first Kemp's Ridley nest in Georgia was found on Wassaw Island (Georgia Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (GSTSSN), 2005), which is unusual because this species typically nests in large numbers (e.g. arribada) at Rancho Nuevo, Mexico (2). The hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), exploited for its beautiful shell in other parts of the world (2,4), is found only occasionally in Georgia waters.
All species of sea turtles found in Georgia are protected by state and federal law, principally by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (3,4). Loggerhead turtles are currently listed as threatened, while all others are listed as endangered (4). Major threats to survival of Georgia's sea turtles are numerous, including both biotic and abiotic nesting threats (rain, tidal wash over, rising sea level, predation), boat collisions, and interactions with various fisheries related activities especially trawling fisheries (2,4). All US shrimp trawlers are now required to be equipped with Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs), which allow captured turtles an escape route (4), (5). As human populations increase along the Georgia coastline, additional threats of marine pollution, light pollution, and collisions with boats have increased.
Stranded sea turtles are often found on the coastal areas of Georgia, most of which are dead and a small percentage still alive. From 1995 to 2004, the average annual number of stranded sea turtles in Georgia was 238 (GSTSSN, 2005). Over the past decade, there has been a steady increase of stranded live turtles along the southeastern Atlantic coastline (Pers. comm., W. Teas, 2004). Currently, Georgia's stranded live sea turtles are evaluated and provided emergency care by the author and Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) wildlife biologists. Since there are no facilities in Georgia in which to rehabilitate the turtles after the initial evaluation, they must be transported long distances to reach a suitable facility, with the closest being located in Charleston, SC and near Daytona, FL. On occasion, these facilities are filled to capacity and the turtles have to be prematurely released or housed in sub-optimal conditions.
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC) will eliminate long distance travel to and from these facilities. Rehabilitation should be part of the overall sea turtle conservation program because the most common age class of turtles to present for rehabilitation consists of older sub-adult and mature adult turtles. These are the most valuable members of the population, because they are either close to or are currently capable of reproducing. Several components of the natural history of the sea turtle emphasize the importance of the older age classes to the population: (a) sea turtles are long-lived animals, potentially surpassing human life spans (6); (b) sea turtles are late to become reproductively mature (e.g. it is estimated that loggerheads become reproductively mature at approximately 30 years of age (7); and (c) it has been estimated that it takes approximately 1000 eggs to make one reproductively mature adult loggerhead sea turtle (8). An additional reason for the importance of rehabilitation in sea turtles is that most of the illnesses and injuries they encounter are either directly or indirectly caused by humans; therefore, we have an obligation to assist in their recovery. To fill the need for rehabilitation, efforts have been underway for several years to create a facility in Georgia to care for injured and ill sea turtles so that more of them reach reproductive age.
Georgia Sea Turtle Center Partners
The development of the GSTC is a collaborative effort by a number of institutions and individuals. Currently, three partners play a primary role in the development of the center: the Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) and Jekyll Island Foundation (JIF), St. Catherines Island Wildlife Center (SCIWC), and the GADNR.
Jekyll Island is leased to and managed by the JIA, whose board members are appointed by the governor. Legislation mandates that Jekyll Island's operations be financially self-supporting and receive no state funds; therefore, the JIA and JIF often partner with other public and private entities to generate funding in order to fulfill conservation, education and preservation objectives. The JIA is leading the effort in the development of the GSTC, and the JIF is the primary funding entity of the GSTC. The Foundation is a public 501(c) (3) non-profit organization with an autonomous board of directors.
Jekyll Island is one of Georgia's barrier islands, and its unique combination of natural habitat and accessibility makes it the perfect location for the GSTC. Sea turtle conservation and education programs were originally developed by the Jekyll Island Sea Turtle Project (JISTP), including guided nightly beach walks during the sea turtle nesting season and sea turtle education programs. Approximately 113 loggerhead nests are laid on Jekyll Island annually. The JISTP also developed sea turtle nest protection and monitoring programs on Jekyll Island, which will be managed by the GSTC in the future.
St. Catherines Island, managed by the SCI Foundation, is another of Georgia's barrier islands. Conservation efforts and wildlife research have been a major focus for the island's activities for decades. The SCIWC has collaborated and provided veterinary support to several conservation and wildlife management agencies in Georgia, surrounding states, and internationally. Sea turtles are a major focus of the program with emphasis on developing baseline health assessment parameters, investigating disease issues, providing emergency care to injured and ill sea turtles, and playing an integral role in the development of the GSTC.
Dr. Gale Bishop and Nancy Marsh coordinate the SCI Sea Turtle Conservation Program for sea turtle nest protection, relocation, and predator control. Additionally, the program integrates conservation of sea turtles with applied research and conservation education (http://www.seaturtle.sdsmt.edu). Teachers are trained for seven days in these techniques while in residence on the island. Teachers then impart their knowledge of these amazing reptiles to their students.
A Rapid Assessment Tool (RAT) was established by Dr. Bishop and colleagues to study the various habitats on SCI; these assessments indicate SCI currently hosts approximately 15% adequate nesting habitat for sea turtles (9). The RAT was modified by GADNR and has been used since 1999 for temporal study of potentially deteriorating habitat and for longitudinal assessment of Georgia sea turtle habitat (3). Dr. Bishop has brought a unique blend of science (both biological and geological) and educational expertise to the development of the GSTC educational programs.
The GADNR coordinates all sea turtle conservation efforts in the state. Their primary goal is to maintain long-term viability of sea turtle populations in Georgia, which is accomplished through research, management, and education. The primary activities of this program include nest protection and monitoring, working with the fisheries industry to reduce sea turtle mortality, and developing educational programs. The GADNR currently coordinates thirteen loggerhead nest protection programs on all the barrier island beaches in Georgia (3), and it will play a vital role in the GSTC by providing consultative advice, fresh food sources, and logistical support.
Georgia Sea Turtle Center Facilities and Programs
The GSTC will be dedicated to the rehabilitation of injured and ill sea turtles, research of sea turtle health issues, and educating the public about their remarkable journey from egg to adulthood and the threats they encounter...
NOTE: All illustrations and photos
have been removed from this article.
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