If you’re driving I-95 through southeastern Georgia, be sure to make a detour at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center! The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is an education and rehabilitation facility centered around sea turtles. The Center uses interactive exhibits to help educate the public on how to protect sea turtles. It is one of the few “turtle hospitals” in the United States providing care for injured and sick sea turtles (terrapins and turtles).
The Learning Center
Smiley’s favorite part of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center was the Learning Center. The Learning Center is one large room that is loaded with interactive exhibits. There were puzzles, microscopes, lift & reads, a scavenger hunt, and even a video game! Every square foot of the Learning Center was covered with information about sea turtles, how to protect them, and conservation.
The Treatment Room
Watching the medical team care for the sick and injured turtles was one of the highlights of our trip. In the main building, there is a large viewing window that overlooks the operation room. A vet-tech narrated what the veterinarian was doing during his procedure. It was really neat to see the medical team in action!
I was way more intrigued by this viewing area than Smiley was. I watched as the vet cemented a turtle’s shell back together while she toyed around with microscopes.
The Hospital Pavilion
Just behind the main building is the Hospital Pavilion where you can visit with the sea turtle patients. The Hospital Pavilion has large pools surrounding an elevated platform. Here they receive the care and rest they need in order to get better.
The goal is to care for these creatures until they are capable of surviving on their own. Once they are well, they are released back into the ocean with trackers.
Fun Fact: As of 2021, the center has cared for and released more than 600 sea turtles back into the ocean.
The sea turtles needed care for a variety of reasons- all of which were human related activity. Some got tangled in fishing lines or crab traps and ended up with severely damaged flippers. Some of the turtles had eaten trash and suffered intestinal damage. Many had shell damage caused by boats or boat propellers. It devastating to know that all of these injuries could have been prevented.
Plan Your Visit
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is located on Jekyll Island, about 15 minutes off of I-95.
Physical Address:
214 Stable Rd, Jekyll Island, GA 31527
Hours:
9:00 – 5:00, daily
Highlights of the Georgia Sea Turtle Museum
@5suitcases Our day trip to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center did it disappoint! ##georgiaseaturtlecenter ##fyp ##5suitcases
♬ Turtles - Vincent Boot
- Visitors learn about conservation through interactive exhibits including games, puzzles, videos, and microscopes.
- Be sure to stop by the hospital to wish the patients a speedy recovery.
- There is a viewing area where you can watch the medical team perform procedures on sick and/or injured sea turtles.
About Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island is one of Georgia’s barrier islands. The island was once a vacation haven for the rich and famous. In 1886, it was purchased by a group of wealthy families as a private retreat. Members of the Jekyll Island Club included the Rockefellers, Morgans, Cranes, and Goulds and represented over one-sixth of the world’s wealth. The Club closed in 1942 and Jekyll Island was purchased by the State of Georgia in 1947. The island was converted to a state park.
Although the island is no longer a state park, there is still a visitors fee of $8.00 per day. The fee grants visitors access to all of the island’s public areas such as beaches, parks, playgrounds, nature centers, and more.
Jekyll Island is also home to historical homes, the iconic Driftwood Beach, and Summer Waves Water Park.
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