

Simons Island in Glynn County, Georgia, United States. Because sea turtles nest on land, responsibility for their conservation is shared between the National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Georgia Sea Turtle Center is a nature center and rescue and rehabilitation. The loggerhead sea turtle is threatened worldwide and is under consideration for being reclassified as “endangered” due to diminishing populations in the Western Atlantic Ocean.

“We loved having Dylan in Atlanta and were sad to see her go, but it is certainly important that she will be released and continues to educate and inspire the future stewards of our oceans.” “The Georgia Aquarium’s partnership with the Georgia Sea Turtle Center has been important and hugely successful,” said Ray Davis, Senior Vice President of Zoological Operations at the Georgia Aquarium. She returned to Jekyll Island in May of 2007, arriving at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center shortly before its official public opening, becoming the second patient.


Dylan’s release is indeed an appropriate finale for Sea Turtle Weekend, the anniversary celebration of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.”Īfter outgrowing her tank at the Tidelands Nature Center in Jekyll Island, a partnership was formed with the Georgia Aquarium, where Dylan was relocated in November 2005. “This is a very special event for the entire community. The Center reflects our commitment to conservation, preservation and education.” said William Lattimore, Jr., Chairman of the Jekyll Island Foundation. “The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is an exciting project initiated by the Jekyll Island Foundation and the Jekyll Island Authority. We are glad to see her depart for her real home at sea and are excited to watch her travels once she is released." “She has come a long way in the last year and has been a great representative of sea turtle education and conservation, helping to spread the word about the plight of the sea turtle and the marine ecosystem. Terry Norton, Director of Veterinary Services and Interim Director of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. “We are very pleased with Dylan’s progress,” said Dr. By studying her movements, researchers may be able to learn about some of the differences between learned and inherited behaviors. This will be the first time that a sea turtle has been raised entirely in captivity for this long and then released with a tracking device. on the day prior to her release, Dylan will also be fitted with a special satellite transmitter, providing Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC) researchers and visitors to the GSTC and Georgia Aquarium Web sites the opportunity to monitor her activities and movements. Since last summer, when Dylan returned to Jekyll Island from the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, she has been learning the skills needed to return to the wild - including identifying and capturing natural prey such as blue crabs, horseshoe crabs and whelks.Īt 3 p.m. Also joining the rescue effort were responders from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Sea Turtle Center and The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 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. Simons Island, the University of Georgia’s Tidelands Nature Center, the Georgia Aquarium and (most recently) the Georgia Sea Turtle Center have enjoyed the sights of this graceful sea turtle for many years. Shoes and shirts must be worn at all times.Visitors to Coastal Encounters Nature Center on St. In accordance with State Health Department regulations, all swimsuits must be covered. Visitors under 16 years old must be accompanied by someone 18 years or older. Through sea turtle rehabilitation, research and education programs, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center will increase awareness of habitat and wildlife conservation challenges, promote responsibility for ecosystem health and empower individuals to act locally, regionally, and globally to protect the environment. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is a functioning hospital for ill and injured sea turtles and is the only hospital of its kind in the state of Georgia. Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Islandįeatures an interactive Exhibit Gallery and Rehabilitation Pavilion open to the public.
