Author: Matthew Humphrey

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes on Jekyll Island

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

By Joseph Colbert, JIA Wildlife Biologist

Last year through support from Jekyll Island Foundation donors, the Jekyll Island Authority Conservation department research team introduced its Eastern Diamondback Health Study (EDHS). When the study began, a search of resources and known literature was conducted to learn more about snake health only to discover there is very little information available on the subject. This is particularly true of the eastern diamondback rattlesnakes that researchers have been working with for a decade on the island, which presented an opportunity for the first Jekyll Island study of its kind.

The purpose of the EDHS was to evaluate what blood chemistry can reveal about snake health. For example, when people go to a doctor for a check-up, they provide a blood sample, and if the results show they are high or low in a specific value, such as calcium, proteins, or triglycerides, those results give the doctor information about the health of their patient. Likewise, animals that are healthy or unhealthy also have blood chemistry that falls within a specific range of values. As a result of the bloodwork study, the research team now has detailed health information for eastern diamondback rattlesnakes on Jekyll Island and are working on publishing these results in scientific literature so other wildlife biologists and veterinarians can reference. This breakthrough information reveals when a snake is sick or under stress which, unlike some other animal species, is difficult or impossible to know by just looking at them.

However, the most exciting discovery is that before becoming pregnant, females have elevated levels of calcium, phosphorus, and triglycerides up to 12 months prior to giving birth. This is remarkable because snakes only gestate (carry) for approximately 6-7 months. Because researchers seek to secure the future of native wildlife that utilize Jekyll Island, understanding reproduction dynamics is key. When tracking eastern diamondbacks, staff is often able to observe pregnant females or witness that they’ve given birth (rattlesnakes bear live young). By comparing the blood chemistry of the 6 females in the study with blood taken from 50 other snakes, the team now confirms that pregnancy can be predicted in eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, another major first. Researchers believe these results are likely to apply to other reptile species in need of conservation. By sampling individuals in a specific location, biologists can use Jekyll Island research results to determine if a population is thriving or suffering and how many females are pregnant.

So, on your next excursion into nature, think about how the health of the animals that share our world is as important to them and their survival as your health is to you. For some animals, such as eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, individual health can also be a matter of species survival. The Jekyll Island Authority Conservation department is grateful of the support from donors of the Jekyll Island Foundation for funding this important, breakthrough research project.

To support the work of the Jekyll Island Foundation, click HERE.

The Patrol Team

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

By Davide Zailo, JIA Research Specialist

Pillar #3: Research

The Jekyll Island Authority’s Conservation Department, working alongside staff at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, collects data on all species of turtle found on Jekyll Island to develop a better understanding of the conservation needs and issues they face. From sea turtles on Jekyll’s oceanfront beaches, to freshwater turtles and box turtles on the island’s interior, to diamondback terrapins that inhabit our marshes, each one is studied. By doing so, staff can better manage both the habitats being protected and educate residential and visitor communities to partner in a collective responsibility for island stewardship.  Jekyll Island is a model community that strikes a delicate balance between the natural and human world. Only with a deep understanding of both of these aspects can we accomplish our conservation goals.

The JIA’s flagship field research program consists of monitoring and collecting information on nesting sea turtles that visit the island’s beaches every summer. The night patrol team works from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m., guided by turtle-friendly red lights. The patrol team’s goal is to encounter as many nesting sea turtles as possible and when appropriate, give each a unique identification tag, collect information on size and general appearance to gauge health, and protect their nest with a large screen to reduce chances of predation. As the night patrol shift ends, researchers are quickly replaced by the dawn patrol team. This daylight team has a different set of duties: perform a thorough survey of the entire island’s beaches, protect nests, and collect habitat information in areas the night patrol team cannot survey due to lack of light. Finally, the dawn patrol team enters data and prepares gear for the next evening shift.

The Jekyll Island project is one of the longest-term projects of its kind. As a result of these efforts, in the 2021 season, more than 13,000 loggerhead sea turtle eggs were protected and resulted in more than 7,000 hatchlings. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center educated over 5,000 individuals during chance encounters about sea turtle conservation efforts. And, thanks to the generous support of the Jekyll Island Foundation and its donors, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center received a new UTV to continue monitoring efforts for nesting sea turtles. With the 2022 nesting season just around the corner, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center will continue its effort to make an even greater impact on the rehabilitation, education and research for this resilient species.

Find Pillar #1 HERE, Pillar #2 HERE

Author’s note: Established in 2007, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC) is a hospital that primarily cares for sick and injured turtles – the only wildlife hospital focusing on turtles in the state of Georgia.  The mission of the GSTC encompasses three pillars: 1) Rehabilitation, 2) Education, and 3) Research. Through these pillars guests are connected to individual patient stories and the broader threats these animals face. Since opening its doors, the GSTC has successfully released over 600 sea turtles.

Finding Freedom in the War of 1812

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

By Andrea Marroquin, JIA Curator

Amidst the War of 1812, a proclamation promised freedom to enslaved people who deserted to the British.  This proclamation resulted in what has been called “one of the most extraordinarily effective mass military emancipations ever seen in the United States.”  Thousands of African Americans are believed to have been liberated from this vicinity, including many from Jekyll Island.

British forces under the command of Rear Admiral Sir George Cockburn first burned Washington D.C. and failed in an attack on Fort McHenry at Baltimore, Maryland (inspiring “The Star Spangled Banner”), before heading south.  The plan was to terrorize the southeastern coast of the United States with attacks on Charleston and Savannah. 

Meanwhile, the British invaded and occupied nearby Cumberland Island and conducted a series of smaller raids along the Georgia coastline.  British ships attacked Jekyll Island several times, with raids continuing even after the war was already over.  Christophe Dubignon later testified “my house was plundered at four different times by said British.” 

One of those raids took place on November 26, 1814, when the crew of the HMS. Lacedemonian struck anchor, proceeded to Horton House, and attacked.  Henry and Amelia Dubignon, Christophe’s son and daughter-in-law, later testified that the British sailors “immediately commenced plundering everything of value they could lay hands on, destroying what they could not carry off.”

When the British departed, 28 enslaved men and women from Jekyll Island escaped with them.  Christophe Dubignon documented the names, occupations, ages, and prices of the people that he complained “did desert from him.”  This list included two children, sixteen field hands, and many skilled laborers, such as a carpenter, blacksmith, sailmaker, fisherman, packer, carter, shoemaker, seamstress, and cook.

Shortly after this incident, the Treaty of Ghent was signed on December 24, 1814, formally ending the War of 1812.  The following March, local planters sought the return of property and slaves as required by the Treaty of Ghent.  Admiral Cockburn refused to return any former slaves unless they wanted to leave.  He argued that they became free the moment they arrived on British soil, and that his British ships of war qualified as such. 

In April 1815, neighboring planter John Couper of St. Simons Island travelled to Bermuda “in hopes he might induce them to return.”  As he boarded the frigate Brune to meet with the black refugees on board, a former Dubignon slave named Frederick cried out: “That is Mr. Couper.  I wish my master was in his place.  I should like to shove him down into the sea!” 

Clearly, the refugees were not interested in returning to a life of slavery.  Instead, they sailed to Bermuda and then on to Trinidad or to Nova Scotia, where they faced hunger and hardships but retained their freedom.  Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane (Commander-in-Chief of the North American Station and Admiral Cockburn’s direct report) declared “that none of those persons have been kept in a state of slavery but suffered to go where they thought proper. . . . and those who performed any work were regularly paid for same.”

To explore more of the island’s eventful history, visit Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum, where tours and exhibits are available daily.

Take the Plunge, Raise Some Funds!

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

By Summer Conley, JIA Marketing Coordinator

Rolling out this upcoming holiday season is the island’s next fun, and a little frigid, fundraiser! Join other ocean lovers November 27 for the all new Cold-Stunned Plunge, benefitting the Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC) on behalf of the Jekyll Island Foundation. Like many of the polar plunge events of the North, participants will walk, run or ‘plunge’ into the chilly Atlantic in support of sea turtles on the Georgia coast.

During the winter months, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center experiences an influx of cold-stunned patients transported from the Northeast. These sea turtles suffer from a form of hypothermia due to freezing ocean currents. Often found lethargic and unable to function, these sea turtles get caught in the rapidly dropping temperatures of the North Atlantic Ocean and are unable to make their way to warmer water. Without the months-long care of organizations like the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, many cold-stunned sea turtles would not survive. Serving as a companion event to the island’s popular Turtle Crawl, which raised more than $24,000 this past spring, the Cold-Stunned Plunge was introduced to bring more awareness to the extensive rehabilitation efforts of the Center during their busy winter season.

Presented by the Beach Village Merchants and Georgia Power, participants will receive a commemorative t-shirt and can join the GSTC’s mascot, Scute C. Turtle, and friends on the Beach Village Turtle Stage for photo ops before and after their big ‘plunge.’ Taking place on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, registration is now open for this new and exciting holiday fundraiser. Online registration will increase on October 8 and pre-registration will close November 25. Those who prefer to sleep in while supporting the work of the Center and the mission of the Jekyll Island Foundation can register virtually and still receive the commemorative t-shirt. Registration will also be open for participation on the morning of the event.

Mark your calendars, register to ‘plunge’ and let’s raise some funds!

Scute’s School and Beyond

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

By Nicole Thomas, Education Program Manager of the JIA’s Georgia Sea Turtle Center

Pillar #2: Education: Focus on the Human Animal

Education is interwoven through the framework of the GSTC’s mission.  Each opportunity to 1) form a personal connection, 2) increase awareness of wildlife threats, and 3) inspire individuals to act is the heart of the work. As the world seemed to come to a halt in March 2020, the Education team seized the opportunity to reimagine the definition of personal connection and conservation action by meeting people where they were – at home. Scute’s School was fashioned as a new take on a standard practice. The GSTC has always been a resource for educators, but Scute’s School provided the opportunity to expand the Center’s online presence and create inclusive resources for all teachers, parents, and supporters.

For 50 straight days the education team developed and published a variety of interactive learning opportunities, which included crafts, videos, and updates on the rehabilitation and conservation of wildlife patients, reaching over one million people. Each activity was thoughtfully constructed to work for educators and families at home or in the traditional classroom.

Scute’s School is a testament to the team’s unyielding love for conservation and sincere desire to be a consistent source of educational information, encouraging a ripple effect of environmental stewardship. GSTC Educators were immediately flooded with notes of thanks and photos of kids participating in Scute’s School activities locally in Glynn County and across the country.

The real power of Scute’s School was brought to the Center in June 2021 by a family from Minnesota. Their two kids completed each of the activities and watched all of the videos which inspired them to write their own books. Prior to discovering Scute’s School, they had never heard of the GSTC or Jekyll Island. Because of Scute’s School, they planned their summer vacation around visiting Jekyll Island and sharing their books with GSTC staff. Everyone was incredibly touched and impressed with page after page of drawings illustrating sea turtle anatomy, life cycles, threats, and ways to help our ocean friends.

Their visit to Jekyll Island to share their new-found love of the GSTC was exactly why Scute’s School. It is amazing to see GSTC followers and supporters continue to carry the torch of the Center’s mission and work. Human connection is so important. Without the supporters who donate through the Jekyll Island Foundation and participate in events such as Turtle Crawl, tours like Turtles at Twilight, and programs like Adopt-a-Sea Turtle, the GSTC would not have the ability to reach so many hearts. It is the GSTC’s fundamental goal to share the message of hope and how actions make a true difference for our oceans and coastal wildlife.

To help support the ongoing work of the GSTC, click HERE.

Find Pillar #1 HERE, Pillar #3 HERE.

STAY TUNED

Next, we will dig deeper into Pillar #3 – Research – sharing the lessons we are learning and the mysteries we have yet to solve with Jekyll’s nesting sea turtles.

Author’s note: Established in 2007, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC) is a hospital that primarily cares for sick and injured turtles – the only wildlife hospital focusing on turtles in the state of Georgia. The mission of the GSTC encompasses three pillars: 1) Rehabilitation, 2) Education, and 3) Research. Through these pillars guests are connected to individual patient stories and the broader threats these animals face. Since opening its doors in 2007, the GSTC has successfully released over 600 sea turtles.

Chichota Courtyard Rehabilitation

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

By Taylor Davis, JIA Historic Preservationist

Ever since the waning days of the Jekyll Island Club, Chichota Cottage has been a site left to ruin.  The original house was constructed in 1897 by David H. King, Jr. of New York.  King was a notable contractor whose projects included the base of the Statue of Liberty, Madison Square Garden, and the Washington Arch.  

King built his unique cottage on Jekyll Island as a single-storied, Italian Renaissance house surrounding a central courtyard, complete with a swimming pool fed by an artesian well.  After the property was severely damaged in 1898 during one of the worst hurricanes in Jekyll Island history, King sold Chichota to Edwin Gould just three years after construction.

The Goulds enjoyed their winters at Chichota until the 1917 season, when they lost their eldest son in a hunting accident on nearby Latham Hammock.  After years of vacancy, the house fell into disrepair.  It was razed by the Jekyll Island Club in 1941, leaving only the tabby foundations and an empty pool guarded by two marble lions flanking the entry steps. See Lost Jekyll or Pieces of History, pages 56/57.

In recent years, a series of improvements were made to the site to increase guest accessibility and safety amidst the ruins.  As part of this first phase of rehabilitation beginning in 2019, an ADA ramp was constructed to provide access into the ruins, the former entry foyer of the house was paved, and the pool was partially filled to create an outdoor venue and classroom space, with the edge of the pool serving as seating for gatherings. 

A generous gift to the Jekyll Island Foundation funded the second phase of rehabilitation in 2020.  This phase focused on the rehabilitation of what was once Chichota’s enclosed courtyard.  With the help of volunteers and Historic Preservation Field School students from the University of Georgia, the original quarry tiles were removed and salvaged from the courtyard.  A new masonry base was poured, and a mix of original and reproduction quarry tile was laid on top to replicate the original courtyard paving plan. 

As this second phase of the project comes to a close, enhancements to the Chichota site have created a safe and attractive venue for exploration, education, and special event rentals.  Additional improvements are planned for the future to reestablish other areas of the house and fashion outdoor patio spaces. 

Today, the Chichota ruins remain a captivating point of interest for visitors to explore and enjoy.  Visit Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum to begin your island explorations or plan your special event in the historic district. 

The “ology” of Gatorology

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

Ray Emerson, JIA Lead Park Ranger

“What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word alligator?”  This is the opening question guests are asked by Jekyll Island Park Rangers at the extremely popular Gatorology experience at Horton Pond. Responses range from “awesome”, “dinosaur”, “big”, “teeth”, to “fear”, “eat me”, and “scary”.

“We are most interested in responses similar to those last three – fear, eat me, and scary, ” says JIA Lead Park Ranger Ray Emerson. “It’s important that people understand that they really don’t need to fear these beautiful animals but give them respect they deserve and don’t EVER try to approach, touch, or especially feed an alligator or any other wild creature.”

Gatorology sessions educate guests on a variety of topics, beginning with the history of alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) from prehistoric times up until modern day, as well as their presence on Jekyll Island.  

Next, Rangers discuss research conducted – previous and ongoing – on these true dinosaurs. One of the things staff and volunteers enjoy most is guest reactions after learning that the first true alligator fossil was discovered in 1911 in Montana!!

The highlight of the day is when each guest is afforded an opportunity to see a baby gator up close and even touch it if they like. This is truly an unforgettable experience, especially for the kids whose parents are ready with cameras to document this moment of a lifetime. The alligator “educational representatives” are born at Gatorland in Orlando, Florida, and are bred and raised specifically as captive educational animals.

The session wraps up with a re-emphasis of the Don’t Approach, Don’t Touch, Don’t Feed message with the hope that it will really resonate and stick. “If everyone takes even one thing away from our message today it’s communicate this to friends and family and make it a habit in their lives … then we’ve hit a home run,” says Lead Ranger Emerson.

Gatorology takes place April through September at Horton Pond, a wildlife viewing area made possible by funding from Jekyll Island Foundation donors. The Conservation Department is grateful for the support which makes educational experiences like this possible. For more information or to purchase tickets, click HERE.

A Story of Resistance

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

By Morgan Cantrell, JIA Museum Operations Assistant and Andrea Marroquin, Museum Curator

The Jekyll Island Authority’s museum staff employs considerable resources on researching the untold and unknown stories of Jekyll Island’s African American community. Records indicate that former enslaved men and women on Jekyll Island did not resign themselves to a life of servitude. Their unwavering efforts to escape captivity are clearly documented in newspaper advertisements. Such ads listed thorough descriptions of the individual in hopes of a hasty capture. When reading these types of ads in present day context, they reveal stories of those who risked their lives to resist slavery and pursue freedom. These narratives provide clearer insight and understanding of some of the millions of men, women, and children who suffered in bondage, including those who were enslaved on Jekyll Island.  

For instance, the stories of Alexis and Tom. On July 12, 1808, the Columbian Museum & Savannah Advertiser published an advertisement requesting the capture and return of a man named Alexis “belonging to M. Dubignon, of Jekyl Island.” The ad described his physical appearance as “a short, stout fellow, pock pitted, and about 45 years old,” noting that he “[spoke] French and English.” Another on September 15, 1810, The Republican and Savannah Evening Ledger published a listing on behalf of “captain Dubignon” requesting the apprehension of a man named Tom who was “about 36 years old; five feet, four or five inches high; has large whiskers, and is very artful.”  Both advertisements mentioned the men’s height and recognizable facial features, to aide in identification. The ad details suggest that the men possibly possessed a wider range of talent and skill that would have aided their quest for freedom.

This belief is further supported by the fact that both men attempted to flee bondage on multiple occasions. The Columbian stated that Alexis was “so constantly advertised in [the] paper that any description of him would [have been] useless.” Further, during this specific attempt at freedom, Alexis fled “from on board sloop Anubis … with a very heavy pair of irons, and the rings of a former pair” around his wrists. According to The Republican, Tom was presumed dead in 1804 after having been “shot in the shoulder” while fleeing captivity. He was later found to be alive and was returned to his enslaver on Jekyll Island. On another occasion, Tom sought freedom a second time, leaving many to believe that he drowned. He “appeared again” but did not remain in captivity long and vanished for a third time in 1810. Alexis and Tom’s tenacity showed their harrowing efforts to escape slavery on Jekyll Island and be liberated.

Are your ancestors connected to the enslaved people of Jekyll Island? If so, please share your story by contacting Andrea Marroquin.

To learn more about slavery advertisements like these, visit Freedom on the Move, an online database that compiles the narratives of self-liberating people. To learn more about the African American experience on Jekyll Island, click HERE or visit Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum.

Tracking Victoria—A Resident Female Bobcat

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

By Ben Carswell, JIA Director of Conservation and Sustainability

It’s been seven years since the first photo documentation of bobcats using Jekyll Island. We are excited to share the story of Victoria, a young female bobcat whose movements we have followed since February 2020.

In 2019, with Jekyll Island Foundation support and permitting approvals from Georgia DNR, the conservation team began working to capture and fit a GPS tracking collar on a Jekyll Island bobcat with the goal of enhancing the understanding of habitat use, movement patterns, and potential reproduction by these small but powerful predators. That year attempts to capture a bobcat came up empty handed. Learning from the experience, however, the team adapted their approach and in 2020 found success within a few weeks.

Victoria, whose name is inspired by historic maps identifying the northern tip of Jekyll Island as “Point Victoria”, was estimated to be about one year old when first captured on the south end of Jekyll Island near the soccer complex. She was in good health and, as a female just entering her reproductive years, an ideal subject for closer observation of her activity. Just over one year later, Victoria was fortuitously captured again, allowing the team to fit her with a new collar for another year of tracking.

Thus far, conservation staff have recorded nearly 1200 individual point locations for Victoria spanning widely across the southern 3/4 of the Island. Tracking shows she has not left the island nor ventured to its northern end where it is suspected that another female maintains territory. She frequents the scrubby dune habitat on the far south end of the island, which is known to be a very productive area for prey species such as marsh rabbits, and often visits similar habitat bordering the marsh near the airport. The core of her range is mid-island where her movements affirm the importance of some areas Jekyll Island’s conservation staff has suspected to be high value wildlife corridors. Victoria continues to be closely monitored for any changes in patterns of movement that may indicate she is caring for kittens.

As widely ranging as bobcats need to be to find sufficient prey, Jekyll Island is limited in the number of adult bobcats it can support. Even so, the team is delighted to find that the Island appears to be able to sustain a small population. That said, when a wildlife population is small and constrained by island geography, its persistence can be tenuous. The sustained presence of these predators in our local ecosystem will come down to the success of individuals like Victoria in facing many challenges to survival and reproduction in a landscape that is wild but also never far from the human footprint.

An overarching goal of Jekyll Island’s conservation efforts is to learn how to share space with wildlife conscientiously, and the knowledge gained from JIF-supported projects like this helps make that goal attainable.

To view the many ways you can play a part in the work of the Jekyll Island Foundation’s mission, click HERE.