Marinelife Day at The Gardens Mall is Back

For the fourth year in a row, sea turtle lovers will enjoy an interactive afternoon at Marinelife Day at The Gardens Mall. The free family event will be held on Saturday, August 22, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the Grand Court of The Gardens Mall and will spotlight Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s (LMC) world-renowned sea turtle and ocean conservation programs.

The all-day exhibition will feature fun interactive educational programs, conversations with Loggerhead Marinelife Center scientists, a special appearance by LMC’s mascot, Fletch, family-friendly games and activities, and chances to win exciting prizes. Turtle-loving tots and their families and friends will be able to design their own ocean-reef, listen to sea turtle stories, craft seashell necklaces, and adopt a sea turtle. The event is open to the public at no charge.

Loggerhead Marinelife Center is also giving children the opportunity to be a “Vet for a Day.” Parents can nominate their child on LMC’s Facebook page. The contest is open to children between the ages of 5-10 years old. The contest will end on August 16. They will meet with a LMC rehabilitation staff member and learn how we treat our sea turtle patients. Special bonus- they will take home their own plush sea turtle patient!

Additionally, The Gardens Mall, Lilly Pulitzer, J. McLaughlin, and Brio Tuscan Grille will host Shop and Share events during the entire day of August 22, and donate a percentage of the day’s total, logged shopping receipts back to LMC. Guests can turn their receipts into the Customer Service desk to help support LMC’s important mission.

Special thanks our sponsors: PNC Bank, The Gardens Mall, and Loggerhead Marina.

 First Annual Juno Beach Pier Photo Contest

Calling all Juno Beach Pier lovers! We are so excited to announce the first Annual Juno Beach Pier Photo Contest! The competition is open to all ages and photos will showcase the iconic Juno Beach Pier, one of the most treasured coastal destinations in Palm Beach County. Interested? Please e-mail 1 high-resolution photo to [email protected] by August 18. Iphone pictures are OK to submit. The grand prize of the photo contest will have their photo featured as the profile picture for the Juno Beach Pier Facebook page and win a LMC gift basket, valued at $200 (includes your own personalized sea turtle adoption)! The grand prize winner and additional winners will be announced at LMC’s Marinelife Day at The Gardens Mall on August 22.

An independent panel of judges will choose the winners. These wonderful judges include: Jack Hanna, Katie Deits with Lighthouse ArtCenter, Eric Call with PBC Parks and Recreation, Michelle Noga with Florida Weekly, Fatima NeJame with Palm Beach Photographic Centre, and Lori Griffith with Chasin A Dream Photography.

 Impact of Excessively Busy Hatchling Season for Rehab Staff

The research department at Loggerhead Marinelife Center has been extremely busy with an all-time record nesting season this year. What does that mean for the rehabilitation department? Even though the rehabilitation staff members are not directly involved with the beach surveys or nest excavations, the extra busy nesting season has kept the rehabilitation department extra busy as well. More mating and nesting turtles in the near shore waters results in more human interactions with turtles. Rehabilitation staff has responded to a large number of adult sea turtles being hit and killed by boat strikes. These adult turtles are the most valuable members of the endangered populations since they are actively contributing to the population when killed. Boaters are asked to utilize safe boating practices at all times to prevent boating impacts and propeller injuries to adult sea turtles.

Because there are many more nests hatching out, unusually large numbers of hatchlings are being brought to the hospital in need of medical care. The strongest of these hatchlings are released from the beach the night of arrival and all others undergo treatment and care and are eventually taken offshore by boat to a sargassum patch (“weed line”) where they are released. Over 300 hatchlings from the hospital have already been released and more are arriving every day.

The stranding hotline, which is monitored by rehabilitation staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week, has also been unusually active. Calls are answered relating to observations of turtles mating near shore, nesting female turtles being found on the beach, nests being eroded or scavenged by predators, and hatchlings emerging from a nest, in addition to the normal stranding calls.

If you find a sick or injured sea turtle, please call our hotline at 561-603-0211 or FWC Wildlife Hotline at 888-404-3922.

 Take a Virtual Journey with Our Sea Turtle Patients

With just a computer and internet connection, Virtual Field Trips allow students to journey through our sea turtle hospital. Our staff uses Skype to connect to classrooms worldwide for a lesson on sea turtle ecology, an introduction to each of our sea turtle patients, and a look into our hospital.

The programs are private (one classroom at a time), so there is plenty of time for student questions. The entire Virtual Field Trip is live and interactive. The programs average 40 minutes in length, and cost is $65 per session. We are happy to customize each lesson to suit the needs and interests of the students.

If you know a classroom that may be interested in booking a Virtual Field Trip, or have any questions, please contact Demi Fox at 561-627-8280 ext. 107 or [email protected].

Program Spotlight: Coastal Explorers

This fall, Loggerhead Marinelife Center will be offering our seasonal Coastal Explorers! program for FREE* – a spring and winter break workshop for children ages 10-13 years old. The Coastal Explorers Program will encompass a series of two weekend workshops geared towards aspiring scientists and children that have a natural curiosity for Florida outdoors. Each workshop consists of two 4-hour sessions where participants will journey on a minimum of one field trip per day and receive hands-on experience in various geoscience and biology fields. Themes vary with each workshop to include the following:

Coastal Explorers: Saving Sea Turtles! (September 26-27, 2015)

Coastal Explorers: Combing the Beach! (October 3-4, 2015)

Upon the completion of the Coastal Explorers workshop, participants will receive a Coastal Explorer certification from Loggerhead Marinelife Center and a Certificate of Authenticity to show off their merit. This is a FREE program made possible by the Loxahatchee Educational Foundation and is aimed at young adults with an interest in getting a closer look at Florida wildlife and how best to protect it for the future. Applications can be found at www.marinelife.org/explorer and MUST be submitted by Friday, September 25 to be considered for admittance. For more information on the Coastal Explorers program, please contact Hannah Campbell, Programs Coordinator at 561-627-8280 ext. 105.

Price: Free (*with application submission; applications selected based on interest)

*must be 10-13 years old to participate

 JMB Camp Comes to a Close

As summer comes to a close and with school year right around the corner, it’s sad to see our Junior Marine Biologists say goodbye after another fun-filled camp season. Aspiring scientists from all over the country (and some international scientists) participated in our seasonal Junior Marine Biologist summer camp this year, totaling 406 children ages 6-17. Thank you to all of our generous supporters that help us empower the next generation of ocean conservationists through our seasonal programming! If your camper missed out this season, keep us in mind for next summer! Early-bird registration for the 2016 camp season is posted on February 1, 2016, at a discounted rate. Take a look at our 2015 camp blog and see what it’s like to be a Junior Marine Biologist!

 Volunteer of the Month:

We would like to give a huge congratulations to LMC’s August volunteer of the month, Savana Evans!