Jekyll Island - Sea Turtle Center

Last week after we left Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island, we went over to the Georgia Sea Turtle Museum.  We learned from our time in Key West that sea turtles used to be a big cash crop and the fishing industry almost wiped them out in the early 1900s.

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center was recently opened in 2007.  It is a facility dedicated to the preservation and education of turtles, the emergency care of sick sea turtles with activities in long term care and research.  It appears well funded, well organized and very much worth the time to visit.

The museum is geared to the younger folks which makes it more understandable and easy to follow for guys like me.  They have a self guided tour of six areas with interactive videos and displays.

It takes about two months for a sea turtle egg to hatch. After they hatch, they move toward the bright lights.  So coming upon hatchlings at night (if you are on a turtle walk or hunting turtles) with a flash light throws them off.

They migrate out to the Atlantic and take long trips but eventually return to the same areas if they survive.

Some of the kinds of turtles in the region are:

• Hawksbill Turtle
• Kemp's Ridley
• Loggerhead
• Leatherback
• Green Turtle
• Diamondback Turtle

From the displays, we went outside and over to the hospital tanks.

The center gets all kinds of turtles with injuries or sicknesses.  Often times the turtles are covered with barnacles which are detached after spending time in regular water.

I find turtles very interesting.  They are such strange lovable creatures.  For more information no them, you might want to visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center web site.

Thanks again for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles!  We appreciate you stopping by.  Until next time...