Tybee Sea Turtle Project :: Tybee Island Marine Science Center

During nesting season, May to October, Loggerhead Sea Turtles nest on our beach. Females dig their nest, lay eggs, and head back to the ocean. In 60 days, the babies hatch and, on their own, make their way across the beach and out to the sea.

Volunteers conduct daily dawn patrols to check for turtle nesting activity that occurred during the night. When we find a nest, we evaluate the site and nests below the high tide line are relocated. To protect the nest, we mark off the site and then monitor it daily.

Prior to the hatch date (60 days), we start "nest sitting." When the Ping-Pong ball-sized eggs hatch and the hatchlings emerge from the nest (called a boil), we watch over them as they make their way across the beach and into the sea.

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Great Sea Turtle Resources

Following are a few really good resources for learning about sea turtles. The links go to a specific page on each site, but take the time to peruse the sites to get a great education.

Caribbean Conservation Corporation:

Threats to Sea Turtle Survival

KNOW THE CONNECTION:

Georgia's Sea Turtles of the Southeast

Myrtle's Coastal Adventure

Georgia Sea Turtle Center:

Meet the Turtles!

NOAA:

Marine Turtles

SeaTurtle.org:

Wonderful library of sea turtle images

Tybee Sea Turtle Project

Field Notes from the Coordinator:

SEA TURTLE PROJECT VOLUNTEER TRAINING

Mark Dodd, Georgia DNR biologist and coordinator of the Georgia Sea Turtle Cooperative will conduct the training for prospective volunteers. To get an idea of what’s involved in volunteering, download the Tybee Island Sea Turtle Project Handbook. Feel free to participate in the training and then decide if volunteering is for you.

When: April 12th, 7 to 8 p.m.
Where: Tybee Island Marine Science Center, off the 14th Street parking lot