From 250 pound sea turtles to half-pound terrapins, the staff of Jekyll Island Authority works all year long to protect our native wildlife!
Conservation Connection sat down with Davide Zailo and Will Hicks, research staff at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, about the important work they’re doing to protect some of North America’s most incredible turtles and their conservation success stories!
About Sea Turtle Season on Jekyll Island
The best time to see adult sea turtles is during nesting season, which begins in May with nests often laid through mid-summer. Jekyll Island is one of the few places where you can experience up-close encounters with sea turtles. These gentle giants can weigh hundreds of pounds, and adult females leave their saltwater and estuarine habitats to bring themselves onto the sandy beaches to lay eggs.
Sea turtle hatching season typically happens in August through October and is the best time to potentially witness turtle hatchlings emerge from their nest and scamper their way across the beach and into the ocean!
At the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, take a behind-the-scenes tour into the turtle hospital to learn about sea turtle care and treatment. To spot some sea turtle nests for yourself, head out on the center’s Night and Dawn Patrol programs with a field biologist. You can also take a guided Turtle Walk to learn more.
To learn more about Jekyll Island and the Georgia Sea Turtle Center visit: www.seaturtleseason.com
Each of Georgia’s sea turtle nesting projects uploads their data online and you can explore past nesting seasons or follow along this sea turtle season in real-time.
Learn More about our Conservation Success Stories
Jekyll Island is a dream getaway for nature lovers and wildlife watchers — especially during sea turtle season. Read More: A Complete Guide to Sea Turtle Season on Jekyll Island »
Visiting Jekyll Island during sea turtle season provides a unique opportunity to contribute to the conservation of these endangered species. Here are seven ways to help sea turtles during your visit: Seven Ways to Help Sea Turtles When You Visit During Sea Turtle Season »
About Conservation Connection
Every day, scientists and conservationists around the globe are working to answer critical questions about our rapidly changing environment and the organisms that live there; the minute details of their work reveal both the beauty and the precarious balance of the natural world. Join the Conservation Connection team as we interview today’s leading wildlife scientists and conservationists about their most recent discoveries. Listen in to hear the ongoing story of the environmental work being done to protect our planet’s future!