The Florida Oceanographic Society is making a splash with the reintroduction of turtles at its Coastal Center. Anthony Brunet, communications coordinator for the group, said they were recently given authorization to care for non-releasable turtles once again.
"It's a huge milestone for us to be able to receive these turtles under authorization from FWC again. They can't survive in the wild, but at the Coastal Center, they'll have a permanent home and they'll inspire thousands of visitors to care about Florida's ecosystems," he said.
The process to receive the FWC certification was a massive undertaking.
"It's a pretty rigorous process with multiple site visits, because at the end of the day, the care and safety of these sea turtles is the most important thing. So it was a big undertaking from our director of animal care and the staff he brought on to make sure that the standards were up to par for us to bring the sea turtles back," he said.
To kick off the turtle program once more, the Florida Oceanographic Society is reintroducing some old friends.
"Hank and Turtwig were selected specifically because under the renewed guidelines of the sea turtle permit, you can only have either female or male turtles. Under the old way the permit was working, we were kind of grandfathered into it and we could take any turtles that could not be released into the wild. So under the new permit, we chose to take on female turtles, and those were two that were previously housed here, so Hank and Turtwig came back. It also gives us an opportunity to potentially house other non-releasable sea turtles in the future," he said.
Anthony said that having these small animals on their campus is a wonderful chance to educate.
"It's an example of how we can blend education and research along with advocacy into our daily programming at the Coastal Center. Visitors can come back or come by for the first time and see these incredible animals up close. Adding an extra layer to our sea turtle program, it's a way for guests not only to enjoy seeing them but also leave with an understanding of the role they play in our environment and what each of us can do to protect them," he said.
More than just education, Anthony says that the turtles are a strong way to get people to care.
"The sea turtles are kind of what we call our conservation ambassador animals. It's like the whole grouping of animals we have are conservation ambassador animals, and people connect with them instantly. That connection makes it easier to share the bigger picture — the health of our waterways, seagrass meadows and the whole coastal ecosystem. So when people get to know the turtles, they're more motivated to help protect the habitats all marine life depends on," he said.
The message they're trying to impart? Environmental awareness.
"It's a fragile balance and we have to respect it and protect it when we're out there in the waterways. Sea turtles nest on our beaches from March to about October — it's sea turtle nesting season. And it's really important that we be stewards of the environment. It's a shared world we live in where we have to respect the boundaries of nature and the boundaries of our community," he said.
If you want to help, Anthony says there's an easy way to do so.
"The best way is to come by for a visit on Hutchinson Island. Every visit supports our mission and gives a firsthand look at the turtles and other wildlife we care for. People can also become members if they want to visit more than once, they can donate, or get involved with our programs. Of course, simply visiting and then spreading the word helps too, because the more people who care, the stronger our impact will be in the community," he said.