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News From The Turtles |
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Happy Holidays & New Year from the sea turtles! For our christmas float this year we created a super eco-friendly float! Using over 1200 plastic water and soda bottles we created a 6 foot long sea turtle with the earth on it's back and 2 "bottle"nosed dolphin jumping off the platform. Check out photos of the float by clicking the photo to the left. Thank you to the volunteers that helped with the construction of the float and walking in the parade! |
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We will be releasing 3 rehabilitated green sea turtles into South Bay with American Diving. To make reservations call (956) 761-4243. The sunset dolphin cruise / sea turtle release costs $13.00 for adults and $10.00 for children. American Diving is located toward the south end of the island in Sea Ranch Marina across from Schlitterbahn. Arrive early - the boat leaves promptly at 4:00 pm on friday! This will be the last public release for 2011! |
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NEW Book Now Available! Get a copy today of the book of the year! This book was written by STI Staffer, Dave Cromwell. Allison, the mostly true story is about the famous one flippered turtle at our facility. Dave has woven together sound science, a bit of indigenous folklore, and a little girl's great love for sea turtles into a 97 page book filled with both photographs and illustrations. This book would make the perfect gift or addition to any bookshelf! Pick one up at our giftshop or available online!
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We will be releasing rehabilitated sea turtles into South Bay with American Diving. To make reservations call (956) 761-4243. The sunset dolphin cruise / sea turtle release costs $13.00 for adults and $10.00 for children. American Diving is located toward the south end of the island in Sea Ranch Marina across from Schlitterbahn. Arrive early - the boat leaves promptly at 7:00 pm on thursday! |
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Upcoming Sea Turtle Releases Over the next few weeks we will be releasing back a number of our rehabilitated sea turtles. Two of the upcoming releases will be open to the public. Please check back here soon for the exact details. Sea Turtle, Inc will be releasing: "Celan" & "Sea Bean" the hawksbills, "Carla", "Rogue" & "One-Eyed Jack" the Kemp's ridleys and "Karma" the Atlantic green will be released with the U.S. Coastguard on July 25th and August 1st. These releases will not be open to the public. "Sea Hawk Joey" the loggerhead will be released on the beach at the south end of the island near the North Pavilion of Isla Blanca Park on July 27th. Exact time will be announced next week. "Snips", "Sinku" & "Eve" the Atlantic greens will be released during a dolphin cruise with American Diving on August 4th. Pricing and time of this release will be announced closer to the release date. Thank you to the visitors and locals that helped to rescue these turtles. Without your help these turtles may not have had a second chance. ________________________________________________________________ |
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Friday, July 1st from 9 - 10:30 am We will be releasing rehabilitated sea turtles into South Bay with American Diving. To make reservations call (956) 761-4243. The sunset dolphin cruise / sea turtle release costs $13.00 for adults and $10.00 for children. American Diving is located toward the south end of the island in Sea Ranch Marina across from Schlitterbahn. Arrive early - the boat leaves promptly at 7:00 pm on Wednesday and 9:00 am on Friday! |
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Congratulations to one of our regular volunteers, Mayra Rodriguez! Mayra was named Valedictorian at Port Isabel High School. Mayra has been one of our weekend volunteers for over a year. She plans to attend Texas A&M College Station to study law. Thank you for all your hard work Mayra ~ the turtles will miss you!
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SEA
TURTLE SUMMER CAMP
Join us at Sea Turtle, Inc. for our very first sea turtle camp! Children ages 8 to 12 are invited to explore the wonderful world of sea turtles through exciting activities, games, and beach adventures! Each week will cover a new, turtle-rific topic so pick your favorite day or come the entire month and become an official sea turtle protector!! Each session will cost $45 per child. This price includes all camp activities, lunch at the facility, and an exclusive summer camp t-shirt! Call (956) 761-4511 for more information! |
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The Hatchlings Are Coming!!!
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Dedicated Sea Turtle Patrollers Needed!
We would like to announce a second training session for the summer sea turtle nesting patrols. You must live in the valley and be able to commit to at least 6 patrols this summer. We have openings for both ATV patrols (64 miles round trip) and walking patrols (1.5 miles round trip). We are especially in need of more ATV patrollers. Patrollers must be 18 years of age and hold a valid driver's license. Previous ATV experience is appreciated but not required. The training will take place at Sea Turtle, Inc on Tuesday, May 31 at 6:00 pm. Please call (956)761-4511 if you would like to attend. Bring a pen and paper for notes and please wear closed toes shoes if interested in the ATV patrols. |
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Welcome 2011 Interns! All of our 2011 interns have arrived on the Island. We will post bio's on the new additions to the staff and photos in the upcoming week. Each year we also add a section to our photo page for the summer season. Check out the photo gallery as the sea turtle nesting season begins this April! |
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We will be releasing a couple sea turtles into South Bay with American Diving. To make reservations call (956) 761-4243. The sunset dolphin cruise / sea turtle release costs $13.00 for adults and $10.00 for children. American Diving is located toward the south end of the island in Sea Ranch Marina across from Schlitterbahn. Arrive early - the boat leaves promptly at 6:00 pm! |
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Come To A Turtle Release!
We will be releasing "Kronk" the Loggerhead at the south end of the Island inside Isla Blanca park near the North Pavilion. (about a 1/4 mile south of the Schlitterbahn water park) "Kronk" was found during the February freeze and is now healthy and ready to go back in the Gulf of Mexico. Call Sea Turtle, Inc for more information! (956)761-4511 |
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Summer 2011 Sea Turtle Interns Congratulations to Lisa Evans, Joseph Scarola, Justin Whisante, Cybil Covic, Lauren Smith, Caitlin Bovery & Mario Marquez. We have begun interviews for the last remaining position. Thank you to all whom applied. This is a very competitive job opportunity. For the 8 positions we received well over 400 applicants. If you applied for the internship and have not been contacted via email than you are not one of the individuals chosen for the final interviewing process. Due to the high number of applicants we are not able to email everyone who applied for the positions. Thank you to all whom applied and please consider applying for the next summer's internship in October. The first interns to arrive this week are Lisa Evans, Justin Whisante and Joseph Scarola. Check back for info on where these interns are from and information on their experiance with sea turtles. |
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| Turtle Releases In March!
Tuesday, March 1st at 5:00 pm. "December" the loggerhead will be released on the beach! Meet at the south end of the Island in Isla Blanca Park at the North Paviolion. Arrive early so that you don't miss it!
3 Atlantic green will be releasd into South Bay with American Diving. To make reservations call (956) 761-4243. The sunset dolphin cruise / sea turtle release costs $13.00 for adults and $10.00 for children. American Diving is located toward the south end of the island in Sea Ranch Marina across from Schlitterbahn. |
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Cold Stun in 2011
Temperatures dropped below freezing along the South Texas coastline on the evening of 2/2/2011. Hundreds of Atlantic green sea turtles succumbed to the cold and washed ashore in a cold shocked state. By 2/5/2011 over 600 were rescued and brought into facilities to be warmed up. Current totals estimate that over 700 sea turtles were effected along South Padre Island, Boca Chica beach, and Laguna Madre. A partnership between Sea Turtle, Inc., US Fish & Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Gladys Porter Zoo, Texas Parks & Wildlife, UTPA Coastal Studies Lab, Sea Life Center of Port Isabel, TX and hundreds of volunteers were able to successfully rehabilitate and release the turtles back into the Gulf of Mexico. Please check out the photo gallery dedicated to this record breaking cold stun event. If you were a volunteer during the event and have any favorite images please email them to adrienne.m@seaturtleinc.org to be included in the gallery! Thanks again to all the volunteers! |
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The adopt a nest
program is an annual fundraiser. We will send out a packet of information
after your nest has hatched. This packet will include a certificate of
the nest, data on the nest and hatch rate, a special photo magnet of Kemp's
ridley hatchlings and a surprise free gift! You can purchase a nest adoption
online with a credit card or paypal, or may call in to the facility and
place your adoption over the phone. If purchased online please email your
contact information to Adrienne.m@seaturtleinc.org |
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January 8, 2011. New online fundraiser program coming soon! For the first time we will be offering online adoptions of our sea turtle tanks. For a donation of $500 you can help us to maintain one of our salt water tanks for a year. A plaque with the donor's name will be attached to the tank for the duration of a year. We will also send out information on the sea turtle currently in the tank. Donors will be listed on the website under the “donations” page. We will post the tank descriptions on our website later this month. Look for more information on the donations page. |
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Season’s
Greetings from Sea Turtle, Inc.
 Happy holidays from the staff of Sea Turtle, Inc.!! I
want to update all our friends, volunteers, and supporters on the state
of our organization so I hope you’ll enjoy reading about the year
in review. We welcome your comments and suggestions to continue our mission
of: rehabilitating injured sea turtles for return to the wild, educating
the public about sea turtles and their marine environment, and assisting
with conservation programs for all marine turtle species. Please feel
free to contact me or email me at jeff.george@seaturtleinc.org.
So you can see that we have very ambitious plans for 2011. We have faith that the funds required will continue to flow and our efforts will help our native species of sea turtles return to self-sustainable numbers. Please consider sending us a tax deductible donation to help us grow. We all look forward to seeing you again on your next visit to South Padre Island. Until then have a blessed season and new year Jeff George, Curator |
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Merry
Turtle From The Turtles!
Friday,
November 18th at 4 pm 
Justin
Whisante is from Huntsville, Alabama. He graduated from Jacksonville
State University in Jacksonville, AL with a Bachelor of Science in
Biology with a concentration in Marine Biology. "While attending
JSU, I was fortunate to take a class on sea turtles at the Dauphin
Island Sea Lab on Dauphin Island, AL. During this two-week class I
saw my first nesting Loggerhead and Leatherback turtles. After graduating
from JSU, I did a husbandry internship at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center
for six months. It was there that my interest in sea turtles really
grew. I'm excited to be here, and can't wait to see my first nesting
Kemp's ridley!"
Cybil
Covic is from Cordova, Tennessee. She graduated from Rhodes College
in Memphis, TN with a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration
in Conservation of reptiles and amphibians. "I have always been
a turtle lover! On summer weekends, my family would pile into the
car and drive out into the country, assisting box turtles across the
road. In college, I volunteered in the Memphis Zoo hepretarium and
also did research pertaining to herpetiles at Rhodes. After I graduated,
I packed a bag and headed down to Mayto, Mexico to work at a sea turtle
camp. It was an amazing experience! I'm excited to be an intern at
STI and can't wait for what's to come!"
Joseph
Scarola is from Laguna Niguel, California. He graduated from UCLA
in Los Angeles, CA with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. "I
am extremely dedicated to the conservation of sea turtles and the
ocean. I have worked with SOS Tartarugas in Cape Verde, Africa and
the Georgia Sea Turtle Center with Loggerheads, with the Barbados
Sea Turtle Project with Hawksbills, and with Pendoley Environmental
in Australia with Flatbacks. My goal is to see every species of sea
turtle and one day start my own sea turtle conservation project. I
am looking forward to seeing the kemps ridley nest and working with
Sea Turtle Inc. in the hospital. Come see me at the hospital and out
on the beach (I'm the one always wearing a beanie)!!"
Lisa
Evans is from Newport Beach, California. She graduated from the University
of California - Santa Cruz with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental
Studies and Sociology. "When people ask me what I want to do
when I grow up I exclaim, "Save the world!" I love our earth
and it's many inhabitants. I'm the happiest when feel like I'm helping
people and the environment. I've participated in research projects
on various plants, animals, and people all over the world. I've never
worked with sea turtles before, so I'm really excited to learn a lot
about them and help keep them around for future generations! I am
so happy that I get to be here working for Sea Tutle, Inc with so
many awesome people!
Lauren
Smith is from Seal Harbor, Maine. She graduated from Wheaton College,
MA with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science. "Growing
up on an island on the coast of Maine I have always been interested
in marine biology and conservation. Although I have never worked with
sea turtles, I have worked on many conservation research projects
involving plants and wildlife across the United States and Latin America.
I also taught environmental science for Audubon. I am very excited
to work on my first sea turtle conservation project and can't wait
for what the summer brings!"
Caitlin
Bovery is from Sayreville, New Jersey. She graduated from The College
of William & Mary with a Bachelor of Science in Biology &
Environmental Science. "I am positively thrilled to be an intern
with Sea Turtle, Inc this summer!! Ever since I held a baby loggerhead
turtle on a family vacation in South Carolina, it has been my dream
to work with sea turtles. I was fortunate enough to work with sea
turtles for the first time while studying abroad in Puerto San Carlos,
Mexico and I am absolutely hooked. I can't wait for Kemp's ridley
nesting season and I am looking forward to an amazing summer!"
Eric
Carlson is from Cincinnati, Ohio. He is currently studying Biology
with a specialization of Marine & Aquatic Science at Bowling Green
State University. "I have been very fortunate to be able to work
in a marine lab while living in Ohio and have been able to work with
all kinds of animals in aquarium tanks. Sea turtles have always fascinated
me and until now I have never had the opportunity to work with them.
I am very excited to be working at Sea Turtle Inc. and to have such
a great learning opportunity!"
Mario
Marquez is from Brownsville, Texas. He is currently a graduate student
at UT Brownsville focusing on Marine Ecology. "Growing up down
here in the Lower Laguna, I have always been in love with it and it
has become my backyard! While most of my marine research has been
focused on lower trophic organisms with the Bahia Grande Restoration
Project and Texas Clipper Artifical Reef it's great to work with turtles.
I have been volunteering with Sea Turtle Inc. since October 2010 and
during the cold stunning event in early Febuary when over 800 greens
were rescued, I knew that this internship would be a great oppurtunity
to "dive in" and learn as much as possible!"
Wednesday,
April 20th at 5:30 pm
Wednesday,
March 2nd from 4:30-6:30 pm.