Hometown Hall

Dylan, a straggler hatchling who was rescued on Jekyll Island almost 10 years ago and became a national ambassador for sea turtles, is going home. Officials from the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, and the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta will release Dylan into the ocean on Monday, June 30th at 11 a.m.

Visitors to Coastal Encounters Nature Center on St. Simons Island, the University of Georgia’s Tidelands Nature Center, the Georgia Aquarium and (most recently) the Georgia Sea Turtle Center have enjoyed the sights of this graceful sea turtle for many years. Now that her carapace is over 50 cm long, Dylan is big enough to return to the ocean according to standards set by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Since last summer, when Dylan returned to Jekyll Island from the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, she has been learning the skills needed to return to the wild - including identifying and capturing natural prey such as blue crabs, horseshoe crabs and whelks.

At 3 p.m. on the day prior to her release, Dylan will also be fitted with a special satellite transmitter, providing Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC) researchers and visitors to the GSTC and Georgia Aquarium Web sites the opportunity to monitor her activities and movements. This will be the first time that a sea turtle has been raised entirely in captivity for this long and then released with a tracking device. By studying her movements, researchers may be able to learn about some of the differences between learned and inherited behaviors.

“We are very pleased with Dylan’s progress,” said Dr. Terry Norton, Director of Veterinary Services and Interim Director of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. “She has come a long way in the last year and has been a great representative of sea turtle education and conservation, helping to spread the word about the plight of the sea turtle and the marine ecosystem. We are glad to see her depart for her real home at sea and are excited to watch her travels once she is released."

“The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is an exciting project initiated by the Jekyll Island Foundation and the Jekyll Island Authority. The Center reflects our commitment to conservation, preservation and education.” said William Lattimore, Jr., Chairman of the Jekyll Island Foundation. “This is a very special event for the entire community. Dylan’s release is indeed an appropriate finale for Sea Turtle Weekend, the anniversary celebration of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.”

After outgrowing her tank at the Tidelands Nature Center in Jekyll Island, a partnership was formed with the Georgia Aquarium, where Dylan was relocated in November 2005. She returned to Jekyll Island in May of 2007, arriving at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center shortly before its official public opening, becoming the second patient.

“The Georgia Aquarium’s partnership with the Georgia Sea Turtle Center has been important and hugely successful,” said Ray Davis, Senior Vice President of Zoological Operations at the Georgia Aquarium. “We loved having Dylan in Atlanta and were sad to see her go, but it is certainly important that she will be released and continues to educate and inspire the future stewards of our oceans.”

The loggerhead sea turtle is threatened worldwide and is under consideration for being reclassified as “endangered” due to diminishing populations in the Western Atlantic Ocean. Because sea turtles nest on land, responsibility for their conservation is shared between the National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and various state agencies and independent conservation organizations.

About the Georgia Sea Turtle Center
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center officially opened June 16, 2007 in Jekyll Island, Ga.’s National Historic Landmark District on the site of the original 1903 Power Plant building, much of which has been preserved and incorporated into the new facilities. The ambitious, $3 million center, offering an outstanding museum-style and interactive learning experience and a state-of-the-art rehabilitation center and veterinary clinic that is visible to the general public, is the first of its kind in Georgia and focuses on sea turtle rehabilitation, research and education. For more information about the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and its programs, visit www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org.

About the Georgia Aquarium
The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia, is the world’s largest with more than eight million gallons of water and the largest collection of aquatic animals. The mission of the Georgia Aquarium is to be an entertaining, educational and scientific institution featuring exhibits and programs of the highest standards, offering engaging and exciting guest experiences and promoting the conservation of aquatic biodiversity throughout the world. For additional information, visit www.georgiaaquarium.org.

About Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island is a barrier island on Georgia’s coast – midway between Jacksonville, Fla.; and Savannah, Ga. Accessible by car just minutes from I-95, Jekyll Island offers a variety of amenities, including 10 miles of beach, four golf courses, a 250-acre Historic Landmark District, water park, tennis center, an array of lodging options including hotels, cottages and campgrounds. Owned by the State of Georgia, and managed by the Jekyll Island State Park Authority, Jekyll Island has had development limited to just 35 percent of its available land area. This unique aspect of Jekyll Island serves to preserve the critical barrier island ecosystem, and provide guests with a unique escape from the crowds and complications of other beach resort destinations. Please visit www.jekyllisland.com for more information or call 1-877-4-JEKYLL.

About the Jekyll Island Foundation
The Jekyll Island Foundation is a tax exempt, public, non-profit that offers participatory opportunities in planned giving, private donation, corporate support, and philanthropic foundation support. The Foundation serves to raise, receive, manage and disburse funds for the stewardship of the historic and natural resources of Jekyll Island. Fundraising programs include the Georgia Sea Turtle Center “Walkway to Wonder”, where personalized bricks can be purchased for $100 or $500 and placed permanently in the walkway outside the Center. For additional information on the Jekyll Island Foundation or to learn more about the “Walkway to Wonder” commemorative brick program, please visit www.JekyllIslandFoundation.org or call (912) 635-4402. The Foundation office is located in Villa Ospo at 381 Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island, Ga., 31527.

About Tidelands Nature Center
Tidelands Nature Center is part of the Jekyll Island 4-H Center and UGA 4-H Environmental Education Program, operated by UGA Cooperative Extension. Tidelands offers marine science programs and live coastal animal exhibits for Jekyll visitors. The Jekyll Island 4-H Center provides overnight residential field study programs for school groups as well 4-H summer camping programs. The Jekyll Island 4-H Center has been connecting children to Georgia's coastal environment for 25 years, using hands-on techniques to engage young minds. Please visit www.tidelands4h.org or www.jekyll4h.org.