Tag: conservation

Coastal Bird Conservation Takes Flight on Jekyll Island

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

By Libby Sutton, Conservation Technician

Expanding Shorebird Monitoring Efforts

Jekyll Island’s shorebird conservation efforts continue to grow as staff expand monitoring and habitat research across the island. Shorebird surveys are conducted to monitor populations and better understand migration routes and timing, patterns of habitat use, and overall population trends. This monitoring also supports the recovery of imperiled species by identifying critical stopover and foraging habitats and informing conservation and management actions that reduce threats and improve long-term survival.

To support this work, the Conservation Department participates in the International Shorebird Survey (ISS), a long-term, volunteer-based monitoring program coordinated through Manomet. Jekyll Island contributes monthly counts following ISS protocols, adding to a broader dataset that documents seasonal shorebird use and population change over time. This year, shorebird surveys have increased from only a few surveys annually to 1–2 surveys each month to better document shorebird aggregations and habitat use across the island in different seasons.

Protecting Wilson’s Plovers

Since 2015, the Conservation Department has worked to better understand and protect Wilson’s Plovers (WIPL), a shorebird listed as threatened in Georgia. Regular nest monitoring, tracking, and habitat protection efforts have helped document the importance of Jekyll Island’s beaches and dunes as critical nesting habitat for WIPL.

Throughout the nesting season, weekly nest checks allow staff to monitor nesting activity, success, and potential threats. While the season is still in its early stages, conservation staff have already confirmed five nests, with three still actively incubating.

New Focus on Wading Bird Nesting

In addition to shorebird monitoring, bird conservation work on Jekyll Island is expanding into wading bird nesting. The Conservation Department is now surveying nesting colonies to identify the ponds, vegetation communities, and habitat features most frequently used by nesting wading birds.

Across five monitoring sites, staff have already confirmed 15 active wading bird nests this season. These efforts will help guide future habitat management and restoration projects, with the long-term goal of improving nesting opportunities for species such as the Wood Stork. Together, these initiatives continue to strengthen Jekyll Island’s role as an important refuge for coastal bird conservation.

Powered by Support

These monitoring efforts are made possible through the Jekyll Island Foundation, which has helped provide critical field equipment used during these surveys, including a new spotting scope.

Help Protect Jekyll Island’s Coastal Birds

The success of these conservation efforts depends on continued community support. Your gift helps fund essential monitoring, habitat protection, and research that directly impacts the survival of threatened coastal bird species.

Make a difference today—support Jekyll Island’s conservation work by clicking HERE.

Earl Grey: A Spunky Little Sea Turtle with a Surprising Secret

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

By Jaynie L. Gaskin

Hospital staff at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center are very experienced in treating the seven species of sea turtles that occur in our coastal waters. But recently, one small patient caused quite a stir upon arrival at the hospital.

An Unexpected Arrival

When NOAA biologists called to confirm that eight critically endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles would be transferred to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, they had one additional request: could the Center also accept another cold‑stunned turtle needing long‑term care? This extra patient was a juvenile loggerhead from the New England Aquarium, measuring just 32 cm (13 inches)—a true “pocket logger,” as sea turtle folks like to say.

The Center was able to accommodate the additional turtle, and the rehabilitation team prepared a ninth tank, carefully lowering the water temperature to match the turtle’s body temperature. Cold‑stunned sea turtles must be rewarmed gradually to prevent shock, and because this turtle was a different species, a separate tank was required.

Each turtle was placed in an individual banana box lined with beach towels and transported more than 1,000 miles from Boston, Massachusetts, to Jekyll Island. Their journey was made possible thanks to a private company that generously volunteered space on their jet. Upon arrival at the St. Simons Airport, GSTC staff carefully unloaded each box, checking the turtles and recording their temperatures before transport to the Center.

A Case of Mistaken Identity

After loading nine boxes into the GSTC turtle van, I noticed something amiss.

“Where is the loggerhead?” I asked. “These are all Kemp’s Ridleys.”

The pilots confirmed that all turtles had been unloaded, so the team began opening boxes again. Peering inside one, I spotted the missing turtle. “Oh—here they are,” I said softly. “This little loggerhead looks so much like the others, I must have counted them as just another Kemp’s.”

Once all patients were accounted for, we departed for the Turtle Center. “It’s been a long time since I misidentified a sea turtle,” I admitted to hospital manager Rachel Overmeyer. “That little guy really fooled me with their round shell and small head.”

Meet Earl Grey

After arriving at the Center, each turtle received a brief exam before being placed in water to rest overnight. Staff couldn’t help noticing that the young loggerhead displayed a curious mix of physical traits usually associated with two different species. The team quickly gave the turtle a fitting nickname: Earl Grey, after the blended black tea.

Over the next several days, veterinary staff performed full physical exams, bloodwork, and X‑rays to assess the health of all nine patients. Thanks to the Center’s new PA system, visitors in the Learning Center were able to listen as the hospital team evaluated Earl Grey in real time.

A Curious Combination

As the veterinarian examined Earl Grey, he pointed out several unusual features. A sharp hooked tip at the front of the beak is typically found on Kemp’s Ridley turtles, not loggerheads. The shell raised even more questions. Loggerheads usually have heart‑shaped carapaces, while Kemp’s Ridleys have round shells. Earl Grey’s carapace appeared unusually round, with ridges more characteristic of a Kemp’s.

With staff curiosity officially piqued, a small blood sample was sent to the University of Georgia for genetic testing.

Recovery, Discovery, and Release

Just as rehabilitation was nearing completion, the genetic test results arrived. Earl Grey was confirmed to be a first‑generation hybrid—with a loggerhead father and a Kemp’s Ridley mother—the first hybrid sea turtle ever treated at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.

Spunky, curious, and always hungry, Earl Grey is now on track for release this summer, marking both a successful recovery and an exciting scientific discovery for the Center.

Support Sea Turtle Rehabilitation and Conservation

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center’s rehabilitation, research, and education efforts are made possible through the generous support of donors through the Jekyll Island Foundation. Contributions help provide lifesaving medical care for injured and ill sea turtles like Earl Grey and support conservation initiatives that protect sea turtles and their habitats for future generations.

Click HERE to support the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and make a donation today.

From Fairways to Flyways: A New Chapter for Oleander Golf Course

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

by Joseph Colbert, Wildlife Biologist and Yank Moore, Director of Conservation

What happens when timing meets conservation creativity? Something truly special.

FROM FAIRWAYS TO HABITAT

After the successful renovation and expansion of the Great Dunes Golf Course, blending favorable elements of the old Oleander course with a bold new design, an exciting transformation is unfolding just beyond the greens. Portions of the former Oleander fairways have been turned over to the Conservation Department and are being reborn as thriving wildlife habitat. The result is one of the most unique and ambitious conservation projects on Jekyll Island to date.

RESTORING COASTAL GRASSLANDS & WILDLIFE CORRIDORS

Where golfers once lined up their shots, conservation staff are now planting native grasses that historically blanketed the coast and much of the southeastern United States. These restored coastal grasslands are rare, beautiful, and incredibly valuable to wildlife. When arranged carefully, they also create a natural wildlife corridor, a safe passage that allows animals to move between natural areas without interruption or interaction with the millions of visitors Jekyll Island welcomes each year.

SUPPORTING PRIORITY SPECIES

These grasslands will provide prime prairie habitat for birds such as savannah sparrows, loggerhead shrikes, and southeastern kestrels, all of which are listed in the Jekyll Island Conservation Plan as priority or watch-list species. Nearby forested areas are also being enhanced through controlled burning and careful under-brushing, with the goal of encouraging diverse ground-level vegetation needed by species such as Chuck-will’s-widows, box turtles, and pine woods tree frogs.

CREATING FRESHWATER WETLANDS

And no ecosystem is complete without water. To address this need, existing golf course drainage infrastructure has been adapted to create a new freshwater wetland. This wetland will support wildlife such as breeding wood ducks, frogs and their tadpoles, along with crawfish, while also providing a reliable freshwater source for mammals including deer and marsh rabbits.

CONNECTING PEOPLE TO CONSERVATION

Because conservation is even more powerful when experienced firsthand, the corridor will incorporate former golf cart paths to create a connected network of walking trails. These trails invite guests and visitors to step into the landscape, connect with nature, and see conservation in action.

PROJECT TIMELINE & NEXT STEPS

This remarkable project is expected to be completed by early 2027. Final details, including interpretive education features and supplemental wildlife habitats such as bird nest boxes and underground hibernation chambers for reptiles, are currently being finalized.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Donor support makes projects like this possible. Every contribution helps bring these habitats to life and supports the wildlife that call Jekyll home, helping to turn former fairways into lasting flyways. To support conservation efforts on Jekyll Island, click HERE.

Native Species Exhibit

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

The newly completed Native Species Exhibit within the Georgia Sea Turtle Center immerses guests in Georgia’s coastal ecosystems—maritime forest, freshwater wetlands, salt marshes, and sand dunes—through engaging visuals and interpretive signage featuring native wildlife. The exhibit deepens visitor understanding of habitat connections and conservation needs across barrier island ecosystems.

GW Spotlight

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

Dinner Under the Stars for 12 @ Horton House

Twelve guests gathered for an unforgettable ‘Dinner Under the Stars’ at Horton House, hosted by Tim and Christie Kinsey and presented by the Jekyll Island Foundation and Authority. This exclusive experience was won at the 2025 Gilded & Wild event, adding an extra layer of excitement for the lucky winners. The evening featured a curated menu and cocktails by Chef Kevin Truong and his team from Willet’s Lowcountry Restaurant, Westin Jekyll Island, showcasing their partnership and culinary talent.

Want to be part of experiences like this? Join us at this year’s Gilded & Wild! Click HERE to learn more.

Transforming Tours with ListenTALK

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

By Hannah Catherman, GSTC Education Program Manager

Providing accessible and diverse programming remains a top priority for the Education Team at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. With recent funding from the Jekyll Island Foundation, the Center acquired ListenTALK devices that significantly elevate the quality of its educational tours. These portable headset systems allow guests to enjoy a more personalized experience while learning about the essential role sea turtles play in coastal ecosystems.

Through the use of ListenTALK, guests are immersed in sea turtle conservation via direct, clear communication with their guide. The headsets reduce background noise, integrate with existing hearing aids for improved clarity, and create a dedicated channel that fosters meaningful one‑on‑one interaction. This technology ensures that every visitor—regardless of hearing ability—can fully participate in and enjoy the Center’s programming.

Since January 2025, the Education Department has welcomed 2,350 guests across more than 47 programs using the ListenTALK devices. This technology has enabled the team to enhance tour quality and strengthen relationships with large‑scale tour operators by offering an individualized experience to groups of all sizes. With partners such as American Cruise Lines participating in educational programming, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center is sharing its mission with visitors from around the world and encouraging deeper engagement in sea turtle conservation.

Looking ahead, the Education Department is eager to explore new program ideas and expand its offerings. The ListenTALK system opens opportunities for dynamic, immersive group experiences accessible to every visitor. The team remains committed to inspiring future generations of ocean stewards through innovative tools and meaningful educational encounters. These devices help deliver personalized, memorable experiences—ones guests are unlikely to forget.

Join the Effort to Protect Sea Turtles

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center’s work in rehabilitation, research, and education depends on supporters who believe in protecting wildlife and inspiring conservation. If you’d like to help advance this mission—and support tools like ListenTALK that expand access to high‑quality education—click here to give.

Every gift directly supports sea turtle care, community outreach, and the future of conservation.

A Magical Weekend at Gilded & Wild

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

Jekyll Island has always held a special place in the hearts of many, and for Lisa and Homer Bryson, “It’s where we got married! I didn’t think anything could top that day.” Recently, that cherished connection grew even stronger during a magical weekend at Gilded & Wild, an event filled with unforgettable experiences.

From an engaging cooking class to witnessing a breathtaking sea turtle release, every moment was extraordinary. The evening dinner and auction added even more excitement. “The icing on the cake was the beautiful painting Jekyll on My Mind [created and generously donated by artist Katherine McGinn] we won at the auction – such a beautiful way to finish our weekend.” The couple also won a fun set of Georgia Bulldog items, including a stylish jacket hand-crafted by Audrey Laine Co.

The memories created during this event promise to last a lifetime, and the anticipation for next year is already building. For the Brysons, Gilded & Wild is now a tradition, and it’s clear why: exceptional experiences, meaningful moments, and the beauty of Jekyll Island – all in one unforgettable celebration.

Helping Snakes Find a Safe Winter Shelter on Jekyll Island

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

by Yank Moore, Director of Conservation, Joseph Colbert, Wildlife Biologist, and Michael Brennan, University of Georgia PhD student

Jekyll Island is a beautiful place full of wildlife, but for one special snake, life there can be tricky, especially during the cold winter months. The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (EDB), the largest rattlesnake in the world, faces many challenges as it moves around the island. Each year, these snakes travel between their foraging areas in search of winter homes. Sometimes, roads and trails fragment their natural habitats, making movement risky.

In other parts of the United States, including New Jersey and Arizona, wildlife managers have found a clever solution: creating winter sheltering sites in areas that prevent snakes from crossing dangerous zones.

Artificial refugia are safe underground shelters that snakes and other native species can use when natural hiding spots are limited or hard to find. These shelters provide snakes, insects, and even mammals a place to rest and stay warm enough to survive the cold winter months. Until recently, no one had used artificial refugia in the Southeast until a generous donor recognized the importance of what the conservation department and UGA Ph.D. student Michael Brennan were trying to accomplish and gave the team a jumpstart to optimize different designs.

Working with UGA, the conservation team identified spots where snakes are most at risk from roads or human activity. At each site, they dig a shallow hole and build a small “snake bunker” by strategically placing cinder blocks and a protective wooden roof. Once finished, the team covers the bunkers with soil and plants native grasses on top to help them blend into the landscape. The bunkers have two entrance holes, ideally facing southwest and northeast, to let in the winter sun during the morning and afternoon. Cameras and temperature sensors have recently been installed to track how snakes use these shelters and to see what other species share these essential refugia in winter.

The team has already piloted multiple designs, with another scheduled for deployment in the coming weeks. The first was placed deep in the brush adjacent to salt marsh habitat on an elevated ridge to expose it to direct sun and prevent flooding from high tides. To the untrained eye, this bunker is invisible and blends flawlessly into the landscape. Snakes, opossums, and native rodents have already been seen using artificial refugia, and the conservation team is hopeful it will continue to be used as temperatures drop.

The second design was deployed out of necessity. One of our tracked snakes was found in an active construction zone this past winter. Under those conditions, it would not have been able to escape the area during such cold temperatures. The conservation team decided to move the snake to the nearest safe space outside the construction zone into a newly built artificial refugia. Because of the snake’s natural homing tendencies during warmer weather, the team also created a pen enclosure to prevent it from reentering the construction site. The snake was observed basking on top of the bunker on warm sunny days and staying near the openings on cooler days, exactly what the refugia components were designed for.

Since the last bunker was easier to access and offered a more controlled environment, researchers were able to closely monitor it and learn how to improve future designs. With that success in mind, the next new and improved design being deployed in the coming days will utilize corrugated culvert pipe cut to keep a natural bottom, connecting two smaller artificial refugia at different elevations. This mimics gopher tortoise burrows, which EDBs and other native species are well documented using. Gopher tortoise burrows support hundreds of species in winter, where animals and insects can enjoy 65-degree temperatures during the coldest months. UGA students and the conservation team will continually monitor these underground wildlife bunkers for years to come to see how many species use them and whether the same individuals return to these shelters as their winter retreat.

If successful, these safe winter shelters will be used effectively for priority wildlife residents year after year, and the designs will be shared broadly with wildlife managers across the Southeast to help protect rattlesnakes and other species. By giving Eastern Diamondbacks and other native species a few cozy, well-placed homes, we can help them stay safe and keep Jekyll Island’s ecosystems healthy for years to come.

Plunge Into Action for Sea Turtles

Posted on | by Matthew Humphrey

by Rachel Overmeyer, GSTC Rehabilitation Program Manager

Each winter, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC) welcomes a wave of cold-stunned sea turtles—reptiles that have experienced a dangerous drop in body temperature due to frigid waters. These turtles, mostly juveniles, arrive lethargic and in need of urgent care.

Despite what you might expect, colder weather doesn’t mean fewer patients. In fact, it often means more. Cold stunning is the reptilian version of hypothermia, and it occurs when water temperatures dip below 50°F. Sea turtles, being ectothermic, rely on their environment to regulate body heat. When the ocean gets too cold, they become sluggish, float to the surface, and eventually strand.

The road to recovery begins with careful exams, blood work, fluid therapy, and a gradual warming process—raising body temperatures just 5°F per day. Once they reach 75°F, they can begin eating and receiving medications. If all goes well, they’re released back into the wild when the waters warm up.

And now, you can be part of their journey.

🌊 Take the Plunge for a Purpose

Get ready for the Georgia Sea Turtle Center Cold-Stunned Plunge—a chilly, cheerful event where brave souls dive into the Atlantic to raise awareness and funds for sea turtle rehabilitation. Whether you’re plunging in person or virtually, or cheering from the shore, your support helps fuel the mission of the GSTC and the Jekyll Island Foundation, which provides vital funding for turtle care, education, and conservation.

So grab your swimsuit and join the plunge! Learn more about the Cold-Stunned Plunge HERE!