Loggerhead Marinelife Center of Juno Beach

Sign In And Save Time!

Hatchlings

Caretta caretta(loggerhead sea turtle),Chelonia mydas(green sea turtle)
Stranding Location: Local beaches
Arrival Date: Summer 2008

Update 11/15/08: Still awaiting a date to send them out. We are hopefull that this will be sometime early next week.

Update 11/11/08: Our scheduled release has been postponesfor 1-2 weeks while some insurance issues are being cleared up.

Hatchlings from Volusia were brought to the Center on Thursday, some were very weak and were treated for dehydration and hypoglycemia. They were dry docked over night and were most were placed in ther water Friday.

Update11/3/08: What could be our last batch of hatchlings for the season are tentatively set to go out this friday Nov 7th. So if you want to catch one last peak at the little ones you might want to stop by this week. We will also be taking out some post hatchlings for a few other facilities in the area along with Wilbur the Loggerhead Post Hatchling that has been with us for several weeks from Mote Marine in Sarasota.

UPDATE 10/31/08: HAWKSBILL HATCHLINGS !!!! Yes, Hawksbills...It seems that each year we see a few Hawksbills in our hatchling tank. We might even get lucky and see a nest hatch out. Which is just what has happened. Hawksbills do not normally nest on our beaches though we do see many juveniles swimming about on our local reefs. We will keep these little ones with our current hatchlings for a short time but they will be released along with the other hatchlings on the next trip out to the weed line.

A turtles eye view through the glass window !!!

These hatchlings are found on local beaches and brought to the Marinelife Center for care. They are anywhere from a few days old to a few weeks old. Over the course of the summer we will care for over a thousand Loggerhead, Green and the occassional Hawksbill turtle hatchlings. Each week the current batch is given a boat ride off shore. They will be dropped off in to large areas of Sargassum seaweed which serves as a nursery for the hatchlings. These turtles will float with this seaweed in the North Atlantic Gyre until they return to south Florida after many years at sea.

LATEST HATCHLING RELEASE GALLERY

Post hatchlings being released into sargassum

A tiny hatchling ready to go.


Deb & Kathrine collect plastic from water during release.	Hatchlings being released into sargassum.

Hatchlings hide in and around the sargassum. Their color helps them to blend in, hiding them from predators. Notice this little one swimming below the sargassum in our holding tank.

Update 10/21/08: Due to the seas being so rough this week we do not forsee an opportunity for a release in the near future. Soooo... these little ones will probably be with us through the weekend. That will include Wilbur. This is a great time to see so all the different class sizes of loggerhead turtles. We have everything but a juvenille turtle at this time.

Update 10/9/08: Just a quick update...Wilbur is still with us, at least for a few more days and we have a bunch of hatchlings and post hatchlings.

Update 10/3/08: Today we released 109 hatchlings in a weed line off the coast with the assistance of FWC. In this group were also 6 Post Hathlings from Mote Maine Laboratories in Sarasota. If you come to the Marinelife Center in the next week or so, before our next trip out, you may be lucky enough to meet Wilbur. Wilbur is one of Motes Post Hatchlings that we are holding for a week for observation. Wilbur was part of a study to test hearing in Sea Turtles. There is so much we still do not know about these wonderful creatures. But tests such as these help educate us and enable us to better care for the turtles when we encounter them. Hurry in and see Wilbur. The turtle is due to leave on the next boat out.

Update 9/22/08: With the help of FWC we were able to release over 400 hatchlings this week. It was a perfect day for the release with calm seas like glass out there. On the way back to land our Hospital Coordinator, Melissa Ranly and FWC Officer Lt. Steve Arcuri, spotted a Whale Shark swimming. Luckily far from where the hatchlings had been released earlier.

Update 9/15/08: The Marinelife Center is currently caring for 400 hatchlings sent to us from the Volusia Marine Science Center. These hatchlings were a combination of washins and weaker little ones who were either unable to make it to the ocean or through the high surf during Tropical Storm Fay. They will stay with us until the seas die down and either a Coast Guard or FWC boat is available to take them out to the weed line.