Loggerhead Marinelife Center will welcome guests of all ages for fun summer experiences and new educational programs that help raise awareness for and protect local marine ecosystems, ocean, and sea turtle conservation.
“Our summer events and programs reinforce our focus on education, conservation, research, and the rescue and rehabilitation of threatened and endangered sea turtles, which is so important to our community,” said Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s Board Chair Brian Waxman. “Loggerhead Marinelife Center has always been a beloved destination for locals and will be a ‘must stop’ for thousands of locals and tourists this summer.”
The center has recorded a total of 4,285 turtle nests on the beaches of Juno, Jupiter-Carlin, and Tequesta since the beginning of turtle nesting season. Of that total, 3,995 nests are from loggerheads, 242 nests are from leatherbacks, and 48 nests are from green turtles.
This year’s active turtle nesting season offers guests the opportunity to encounter sea turtles in the wild and learn about sea turtles and ocean conservation in South Florida through the center’s summer activities. Check them out below:
On Saturday, June 18, lace up your running shoes for Run 4 The Sea, four-mile timed race and a kids’ one-mile race along A1A in Juno Beach. The eleventh annual race is open to runners, walkers, and hikers of all ages. All race proceeds benefit Loggerhead Marinelife’s mission to promote conservation of ocean ecosystems, with a special focus on threatened and endangered sea turtles. Registration is open now and is $50 for adults and $25 for kids.
Throughout June and July, visitors can learn about and observe the nesting and egg-laying process of sea turtles during Guided Nightly Turtle Walks. Visitors will enjoy an informative presentation on the plight of sea turtles along with a variety of hands-on learning experiences. Once a loggerhead sea turtle emerges and begins her egg-laying process, the group is then led down to the beach by LMC’s authorized scouts to witness this unforgettable experience. Registration is $22 for nonmembers and $20 for members ages 10 and older.
During Nightly Hatchling Releases this August, guests will learn about baby sea turtles, the hatching process, and a hatchling’s fight for survival. The program begins with a lesson about sea turtles and their conservation, and concludes with an opportunity to observe hatchlings taking their first crawls into the ocean by LMC’s authorized staff. Registration opens July 1 and is $24 for nonmembers and $22 for members ages 8 and older.
From August to September, educators will lead Sunrise Nest Excavations on Juno, Jupiter, or Tequesta beaches to discuss the nesting and hatching processes of sea turtles. After an introduction to these processes, guests may have the opportunity to witness a live sea turtle nest inventory and record their own data to take home as a memento. Registration opens July 1 and is $24 for nonmembers and $22 for members ages 8 and older.
In addition to these excursions, guests ages 8 and older will enjoy hands-on learning opportunities and activities, like the Rescue to Release Virtual Reality Theater Show and Beyond the Glass Tour, both using virtual reality headsets.
Click here for more information.
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