Tybee Island Marine Science Foundation Inc

TO CULTIVATE RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP OF COASTAL GEORGIA'S NATURAL RESOURCES THROUGH EDUCATION, CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH.

EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR THE ISLAND'S VISITORS WE OFFER: HOUR-LONG WALKS, TALKS & TREKS: BEACH WALKS, TURTLE TALKS, AND MARSH TREKS. VISITORS EXPLORE OUR COASTAL GEORGIA GALLERIES-DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED BY SCIENCE CENTER STAFF MEMBERS, THE GALLERY IS 4,000 SQUARE FEET, BUT PACKED WITH INFORMATION ON COASTAL GEORGIA'S NATURAL RESOURCES. CART EXPLORATION PROGRAMS ARE SCHEDULED IN THE GALLERY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. OUR NINE WEEKS OF SEA CAMP: COASTAL KIDS OCEAN ADVENTURE - OFFERS SUMMER FUN FOR THE KIDS. FOR GROUPS WE OFFER: GIRL SCOUTS - PARTICIPATE IN THE COASTAL BADGE PROGRAM. CUB AND BOY SCOUTS - PARTICIPATE IN BARRIER ISLAND PATCH PROGRAM OR OCEANOGRAPHY MERIT BADGE PROGRAM. SCHOOL GROUPS, PRE-K THROUGH COLLEGE - PARTICIPATE IN OUR COASTAL CLASSROOM, SIDEWALK TO THE SEA, AND COASTAL SCIENTIST PROGRAMS. ADDITIONALLY, THROUGH OUR OCEAN OUTREACH PROGRAM WE EXTEND OUR EDUCATIONAL REACH AT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EVENTS. CONSERVATION PROGRAMS OUR CONSERVATION PROGRAMS INCLUDE; THE TYBEE SEA TURTLE PROJECT, DIAMONDBACK TERRAPIN R&R, SHORE/SEABIRD RESCUE, AND WE PARTICIPATE IN THE NATIONAL MARINE MAMMAL STRANDING NETWORK AND SEA TURTLE STRANDING AND SALVAGE NETWORK. CONSERVATION DIAMONDBACK TERRAPIN R&R (RESCUE & RELEASE) DIAMONDBACK TERRAPINS TAKE A LONG TIME TO MATURE. THEY LIVE FOR 25-40 YEARS AND DON'T START NESTING UNTIL THEY'RE SEVEN TO EIGHT YEARS OLD. JUST PRIOR TO THE 1920S DIAMONDBACK TERRAPINS WERE HUNTED TO THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION, BECAUSE IT WAS FASHIONABLE, IN AMERICAN, TO EAT A WINE-BASED TURTLE SOUP. FORTUNATELY FOR THE TERRAPINS, PROHIBITION HAPPENED AND THE WINE-BASED SOUP WENT OUT OF STYLE. IN ADDITION TO NATURAL PREDATION, THIS CENTURY POSES OTHER THREATS, THEIR HABITAT (THE BRACKISH WATERS OF THE MARSH) IS BEING DESTROYED, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REACH HIGHER GROUND TO LAY THEIR EGGS THEY'RE RUN OVER BY CARS, THEY DROWN IN CRAB POTS, AND THEY'RE AGAIN BEING KILLED IN SOME STATES AND EXPORTED TO THE ASIAN MARKET FOR TURTLE SOUP. THE COMBINATION MULTIPLE THREATS AND LOW REPRODUCTIVE RATES HAS RESULTED IN THE TERRAPINS BEING PUT ON THE STATE OF GEORGIA'S DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES PROTECTED SPECIES LIST. WE RESCUE, OR RECEIVE, SICK, INJURED; ADULT AND BABY TERRAPINS, PROVIDE TRIAGE OR TRANSPORT THEM TO THE GEORGIA SEA TURTLE CENTER, THEN TAG AND RELEASE THE BACK INTO THE MARSH. WHEN GRAVID FEMALES ARE KILLED BY CARS ON THE CAUSEWAY, WE EXTRACT THE EGGS AND TRANSPORT THEM TO GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY FOR INCUBATION. LASTLY, WE MAKE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC TEDS FOR CRAB TRAPS. REMOVAL OF LIVE ANIMALS ON THE BEACH CITY OF TYBEE ISLAND PASSED AN ORDINANCE (33-2011) IN 2011 PROHIBITING THE REMOVAL OF LIVE ANIMALS FROM THE BEACH. THE CENTER PROVIDES AN ANNUAL TRAINING TO THE TIPD AND OCEAN RESCUE THAT HELPS THEM UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LAW AND TEACHES THEM HOW TO IDENTIFY THE ANIMALS MOST OFTEN TAKEN (BY THE GROCERY BAG FULL) FROM THE BEACH. WE ARE PLANNING TO DESIGN AND PRODUCE SIGNAGE FOR POSTING AT THE CROSSOVERS. MARINE MAMMAL STRANDING NETWORK WE ARE A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL MARINE MAMMAL STRANDING NETWORK AND RESPONDS TO STRANDED MARINE MAMMALS, BOTH DEAD AND ALIVE, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF DNR WHO HAS LISTED THE SCIENCE CENTER ON THEIR STANDING AGREEMENT WITH NOAA'S NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE. IN RESPONSE TO A DEAD ANIMAL WE RETRIEVED THE ANIMAL, AND EITHER SECURE IT FOR DNR TO PICK UP OR TAKE TISSUE AND TEETH SAMPLES ALONG WITH PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHYSIOLOGICAL DATA, WHICH IS SENT TO DNR. WE HAVEN'T YET HAD A LIVE STRANDING THAT NEEDED TO BE RETRIEVED. THUS FAR OUR ONLY LIVE STRANDING HAS BEEN A MANATEE STUCK IN A TIDE POOL, WHICH WE SIMPLY WAITED OUT WITH THE ANIMAL. SEA/SHOREBIRD RESCUE ISLAND VISITORS FREQUENTLY COME ACROSS SICK, INJURED, OR HATCHLING SEA- SHOREBIRDS AND EITHER CALL IN A REPORT OR BRING IT TO THE CENTER. WE TAKE- IN THE BIRD AND EITHER TRANSPORT IT TO A VET FOR PRO BONO TREATMENT OR WILDLIFE REHABILITATOR FOR REHABILITATION. WE DO NOT ADVERTISE THIS PROGRAM, BECAUSE WE COULDN'T HANDLE AN INCREASE IN REQUESTS. OUR PLAN IS TO CREATE AND TRAIN A VOLUNTEER GROUP TO SUPPORT THE WORK. TYBEE SEA TURTLE PROJECT THE TYBEE SEA TURTLE PROJECT IS A CONSERVATION PROGRAM OF THE TYBEE ISLAND MARINE SCIENCE CENTER AND MEMBER OF THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES' GEORGIA SEA TURTLE COOPERATIVE. PROJECT VOLUNTEERS PROTECT THE ISLAND'S NESTING SEA TURTLES AND THEIR HATCHLINGS BY MONITORING SEA TURTLE ACTIVITY. DURING THE NESTING SEASON, MAY 1ST TO OCTOBER 31ST. , VOLUNTEER COOPERATORS CONDUCT DAILY DAWN PATROLS (6 A.M.) ALONG THE BEACH. THE PATROL CONSISTS OF WALKING THE ENTIRE THREE MILES OF TYBEE'S BEACHES AND LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE OF SEA TURTLE ACTIVITY. EARLY IN THE SEASON PATROLS ARE LOOKING AT THE SAND FOR SEA TURTLE CRAWLS (TRACKS) THAT WOULD INDICATE THAT A SEA TURTLE MAY HAVE NESTED. (MALE LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES LEAVE THE LAND AS A HATCHLING AND NEVER RETURN.) SOMETIMES, A TURTLE WILL CRAWL UP THE BEACH AND NOT NEST, THIS IS KNOWN AS A FALSE CRAWL. WHEN A CRAWL IS LOCATED THE SEA TURTLE PROJECT COORDINATOR VERIFIES THE PRESENCE OF A NEST BY LOCATING THE EGGS IN THE NEST CAVITY. WHEN A VIABLE NEST IS CONFIRMED, IT IS ROPED OFF AND POSTED. THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF INCUBATION IS 60 DAYS AND SO OBSERVATION OF THE NESTS BECOMES A PART OF THE DAILY DAWN PATROL. AS A NEST'S HATCHING TIME APPROACHES, COOPERATORS ARE ASSIGNED TO "NEST SIT" DURING THE NIGHT UNTIL THAT NEST HAS HATCHED. WHEN A NEST HATCHES, THE HATCHLING NUMBER IS ESTIMATED BY THE NUMBER OF TRACKS FROM THE NEST TO THE OCEAN. FIVE DAYS AFTER THE HATCH, THE NESTS ARE EXCAVATED AND EGG SHELLS ARE COUNTED TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF EGGS LAID, AND OF THOSE LAID, HOW MANY ACTUALLY HATCHED. NESTING DATA IS REPORTED TO THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (GEORGIA DNR). LIGHTS OUT THE OBJECTIVE OF THE LIGHTS OUT PROGRAM IS TO FACILITATE SEA TURTLE NESTING ACTIVITY BY REDUCING ARTIFICIAL LIGHT SHINING ON THE BEACH DURING NESTING SEASON. OUR STRATEGY IS TO INFLUENCE BEHAVIOR BY RAISING AWARENESS. WE DESIGN MATERIALS FOR THE LIGHTS OUT CAMPAIGN THAT BRING ATTENTION TO THE DATES OF THE SEA TURTLES' NESTING SEASON AND EDUCATE RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, AND TOURISTS ON THE IMPACT THAT LIGHT HAS ON NESTING TURTLES AND HATCHLINGS. ADDITIONALLY, WE CONDUCT MONTHLY BEACHFRONT LIGHTING SURVEYS TO COLLECT DATA THAT ILLUSTRATES TRENDS AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ARTIFICIAL LIGHT AND NESTING ACTIVITY ON THE ISLAND. ADDITIONALLY, THE DATA ENABLES THE CENTER TO CONCENTRATE EDUCATION EFFORTS AND COTI TO CONCENTRATE ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS IN PROBLEM AREAS. SEA TURTLE STRANDING AND SALVAGE NETWORK (STSSN) THE STSSN COLLECTS INFORMATION ON AND DOCUMENTS STRANDINGS OF MARINE TURTLES. THE NETWORK ENCOMPASSES THE COASTAL AREAS OF THE EIGHTEEN STATE REGION FROM MAINE THROUGH TEXAS, AND INCLUDES PORTIONS OF THE U.S. CARIBBEAN. DATA ARE COMPILED THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF NETWORK PARTICIPANTS WHO DOCUMENT MARINE TURTLE STRANDINGS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAS AND CONTRIBUTE THOSE DATA TO THE CENTRALIZED STSSN DATA BASE. GA DNR MONITORS MARINE TURTLE MORTALITY THROUGH THE STSSN AND THE SCIENCE CENTER PARTICIPATES IN THE EFFORT BY RESPONDING TO CITIZEN NOTIFICATIONS FOR STRANDED SEA TURTLE SIGHTINGS. THE SEA TURTLE PROJECT COORDINATOR IS THE PRIMARY RESPONSE PERSON OFTEN WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE US COAST GUARD. DEAD SEA TURTLES ARE RETRIEVED, PHOTOGRAPHED, AND A DATA SHEET IS COMPLETED. THE ANIMAL IS STORED IN OUR FREEZER PENDING DNR PICK-UP. DNR THEN PERFORMS A NECROPSY TO EVALUATE CAUSES OF MORTALITY AND GATHER OTHER DATA. SEA TURTLE STRANDINGS ARE THE PRIMARY INDEX FOR THREATS TO SEA TURTLES IN COASTAL WATERS. GEORGIA LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE GENETIC PROFILING STUDY WE PARTICIPATE IN THE COOPERATIVE EFFORT OF GEORGIA DNR AND UGA'S STUDY ON LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE GENETIC PROFILING. GEORGIA'S LOGGERHEADS ONLY SPEND A BRIEF TIME OUT OF THE WATER, BUT ARE COMPLETELY DEPENDENT ON THE BEACHES AND NEAR-SHORE WATERS TO REPRODUCE. USING A SINGLE EGG FROM EACH NEST LAID ON THE GEORGIA COAST, THE STUDY IS COMPILING A GENETIC FINGERPRINT OF ALL THE LOGGERHEADS NESTING ON GEORGIA'S BEACHES. ONE OF THE MANY DISCOVERIES OF THIS STUDY IS THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST 20 MOTHER/DAUGHTER PAIRS NESTING ON OUR BARRIER BEACHES. BECAUSE IT TAKES AT LEAST 30 YEARS FOR A LOGGERHEAD TO BEGIN NESTING, IT MEANS THAT NO LESS THAN 20 OF OUR TURTLES ARE A MINIMUM OF 60 YEARS OLD, NESTING ALONGSIDE THEIR 30-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTERS. THIS DATA WILL BE USEFUL IN OUR EFFORTS TO PROTECT SEA TURTLES. ISLAND VISITOR PROGRAMS WALKS, TALKS & TREKS(ALL ARE ONE HOUR) BEACH WALKS - NORTH AND SOUTH BEACHES JOIN A MARINE SCIENCE EDUCATOR ON AN ONE-HOUR GUIDED DISCOVERY WALK ALONG TYBEE'S BEACH TO LEARN ABOUT COASTAL GEORGIA'S TIDES, DUNES, AND THE WILDLIFE THAT LIVE IN AND AROUND THE OCEAN. TURTLE TALKS AN INTRODUCTION TO THE AMAZING LIVES OF SEA TURTLES LEARN ABOUT ANATOMY AND NATURAL ADAPTATIONS, THEN STROLL ON THE BEACH TO DISCUSS NESTING HABITAT AND TYBEE'S CONSERVATION EFFORTS. MARSH TREKS GUIDED ONE-HOUR EXPLORATION OF THE J