Featured Image Credit: WCTV
By Emily Persico
Hurricane Matthew may have fizzled out days ago, but the Atlantic coast is still recovering. Last weekend, the residents of a small barrier island off the coast of Georgia were evacuated. This included some 18 turtles that were shipped from Jekyll Island’s Georgia Sea Turtle Center all the way to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. After a weeklong vacation in Georgia’s capital, these 18 turtles are en route back to their home on Jekyll Island.
All 18 of these little travelers were rescues and most of them will soon be released back into the wild. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center houses more than just sea turtles. The mix sent to Atlanta included box turtles and river cooters, as well as three of the seven species of sea turtles—green sea turtles, loggerheads, and Kemp’s ridley.
Last Monday, Jekyll Island residents were able to return to their homes. Many sea turtles are injured because of litter like fishing line, which they are entangled, and plastic bags that closely resemble tasty jellyfish. Beach clean-ups have been ongoing throughout the week, ensuring that the turtles will have relatively unpolluted waters to return to.
Learn more about the Georgia Sea Turtle Center’s work here.