Tybee Island Sea Turtle Project

History of the
Tybee Island Sea Turtle Project

 

The loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 as a result of declines in nesting in the southeastern US and high mortality rates associated with commercial fisheries. The Recovery Plan for the US Population of Loggerhead Turtles delineates reasonable actions required to recover and or protect loggerhead turtle populations. Monitoring nesting activity is considered a high priority action and is necessary to establish population trends and evaluate the effectiveness of nest protection measures.

As concern grew over the status of loggerhead turtle populations, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) initiated a program to ensure loggerhead nesting was being monitored on all major nesting beaches. By 1989, all barrier islands with the exception of Wolf, Little Tybee, and Williamson Islands had nest monitoring and protection programs in place.

 

The Tybee Island Sea Turtle Project is managed and coordinated by the staff of the Tybee Island Marine Science Center in cooperation with the Tybee Island Department of Public Works and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Through dedicated and trained Tybee Island Marine Science Center (TIMSC) volunteers, dawn patrols are made to check for any turtle activity that occurred during the night. We make every effort to leave nests as natural as possible and to relocate nests only when absolutely necessary.

In the evenings TIMSC staff and volunteers have educational Tybee Turtle Talks that are offered to the public. For a nominal donation, participants will receive an educational and informational lecture prior to going out onto the beach. Once on the beach participants learn more about beach ecology, bioluminescence, and may even have the unique opportunity to possibly see a nesting female loggerhead sea turtle.

The developed barrier islands of Georgia historically have lower numbers of sea turtle nests than undeveloped islands. The increase in human activity, lights, and pollution deter sea turtles from choosing Tybee Island as a viable nesting site. It is the goal of the Tybee Island Marine Science Center to address these issues and bring the sea turtles back to Tybee Island through education and community involvement.

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This page last updated on

  05 Apr 2008