Written by: Emily Clements. February 2022
As the remaining sea turtles from 2021’s nesting season phase-out of their time with us at the FAU Marine Lab, a special program uniquely allows a few of our turtles to be educational ambassadors a bit longer. Each year the FAU Marine Lab partners with Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to provide a sea turtle to another educational facility. One special sea turtle is transferred from the FAU Marine Lab to an educational facility for the purpose of community outreach and marine conservation then later is released. Since our turtles come to the lab for study purposes during the hatchling phase, they provide the public with a glimpse into the neonate to adolescent stages of the sea turtle life cycle.
From our 2021 cohort, the John D. MacArthur Beach State Park Educational Facility was the recipient of our turtle. On December 19, 2021, one of our loggerhead sea turtles was transferred to the facility in North Palm Beach, Florida. The turtle will serve to further educate the public about the life stages of loggerhead sea turtles. In addition, the turtle transfer program allows for the promotion of sea turtle conservation by providing another audience for outreach. The turtle will be housed at John D. MacArthur Beach State Park until it reaches a certain weight and is ready to be released back into the ocean. The turtle will begin its journey into the ocean, unaware of the impact it has had on sea turtle conservation, education, and scientific exploration.
The FAU Marine Lab is the only laboratory in the state of Florida that participates in the turtle transfer program. We value the contribution our turtles have at these educational facilities and are committed to the preservation of this flagship species.
