CRP will be awarding a total of two scholarships for college students majoring in biology, environmental studies or environmental education: the Hadrienne Mondonsa Memorial Scholarship and Loretta's Carettas. These fully funded research opportunities were made possible by the Mendonsa Family in memory of Hadrienne, and long-time volunteer Loretta Kane.
Scholarships cover the Participation fee for one week of volunteering on CRP. These opportunities allow students to work with and learn from CRP Biologists and experience field biology firsthand.
Deadline to apply is January 31, 2024.
More information on the scholarships and the application can be found at this link:
CRP has one scholarship available for high school students interested in pursuing a degree in biology, environmental studies or environmental education. This scholarship was made possible by long-time volunteer, intern, and graduate student Jadyn Sethna.
Deadline to apply is January 31, 2024.
More information on the scholarships and the application can be found at this link:
CRP offers a unique opportunity for high school students to experience being part of a field research team. Students patrol the beach with CRP Biologists, help collect and record data from nesting turtles, and assist in protecting eggs from predators like raccoons and foxes. Students get to witness nature and science firsthand. It is truly an experience that will shape the mind of future biologists and non-biologists alike.
While learning about sea turtle biology and conservation directly from CRP Biologists, students also get to experience the rigors of working at a remote field site where many amenities and luxuries are unavailable. Because basic resources, such as water and electricity, are limited and day-to-day duties are shared among all members of the research team, students learn the values of eco-consciousness and teamwork. CRP strongly encourages any young person interested in nature and science to come join us and experience being a part of a field research team!
Volunteers under 19 must print, sign, scan and email the Young Biologist Agreement to WassawCRP@aol.com along with their Volunteer Application and Waiver.
Volunteering on CRP is a perfect summertime opportunity for teachers and other educators gain exciting experiences and knowledge that can then be incorporated into their classrooms. In many cases, schools will help support teachers interested in volunteering on CRP and we are more than happy to work with teachers that wish to develop proposals needed to entice administrative support.
Over the years, CRP has worked with teachers not just from Savannah, but also from across the United States. Not only do teachers incorporate what they've learned into lesson plans, but they also recruit many of their students to volunteer alongside them. These students have used their experiences on Wassaw to help develop curricula on sea turtle biology and conservation, as well as other environmental topics on the Georgia coast.
Hands-on experience is an excellent way for teachers to foster interest and excitement among their students.
.
CRP is excited to provided science educators with the opportunity to use our 46-year sea turtle database in their classrooms. These data offer a unique opportunity for students to learn how to manage and collect data, conduct statistical analyses, and test hypotheses with a real biological dataset. Distribution of the database is limited and educators must sign and respectfully follow conditions listed on the Data Sharing for Science Education form.
Jessie Cahoon, a GIS Specialist with Maryland Environmental Service and fellow turtle lover, has been working with the Caretta Research Project since 2003. She has worked with CRP Biologists to produce an interactive map that allows anyone to see the locations of all sea turtle nesting activities on Wassaw Island between 1999-2010. She is currently updating the map through 2018. With this map, you can search activity by year, date, activity and even by individual turtle. This is a great way for you Adopt-A-Turtle parents to see where and when your turtle has nested.
Click here to see the map and have fun exploring CRP's turtle nesting data.
Central hub for connecting the global sea turtle community, as well as organizing the world's sea turtle information and make it universally accessible and useful. Seaturtle.org has also become the centralized database management systems to help organizations working to conserve sea turtles to manage, organize and share their data. These include the Satellite Tracking and Analysis System (STAT), the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation and Necropsy Database (STRAND) and the Sea Turtle Nest Monitoring System (STNMS). Also, contains online access to the Marine Turtle Newsletter, supporting registration and administration of the Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation and global sea turtle job board.
.
Academic organization dedicated to continuing the mission of the late Dr. Archie Carr. Its mission is to conduct research in all aspects of the biology of sea turtles, to educate students, and to further marine conservation through the communication of these research results to the scientific community, management agencies, and conservation organizations throughout the world. ACCSTR also oversees the CTURTLE email listserv and Sea Turtle Online Bibliography.
The IUCN SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group (MTSG) is part of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Comprised of more than 230 expert members in over 80 countries, the MTSG is the global authority on marine turtle research and conservation. Their website contains exhaustive status reviews of all sea turtle species, background biology of each species and descriptions of the most significant hazards that threaten sea turtles resulting from their Burning Issues assessment.
Formerly the Caribbean Conservation Corporation, STC carries out worldwide programs to conserve and recover sea turtle populations through research, education, advocacy and protection of the natural habitats upon which depend upon. Their website contains easy-to-read information on each sea turtle species, a synopsis of the organization's research, education and policy initiatives, as we all as a Sea Turtle Tracker.
The Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network is a group of expert biologists, managers, community leaders and educators in more than 40 nations and territories that are committed to an integrated, regional capacity that ensures the recovery and sustainable management of depleted sea turtle populations. Their website is a great resource for information on sea turtle biology, management, conservation, medicine and ecotourism in the Wider Caribbean.
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is operated by the Jekyll Island Authority as a primary conservation program dedicated to increasing awareness through sea turtle education, rehabilitation, and research programs. GSTC has an advanced hospital that is open to the general public, offering an interactive Exhibit Gallery and Rehabilitation Pavilion that allows guest to see the sea turtle patients and watch veterinary procedures. As the regional hub for sea turtle rehabilitation, CRP works directly with GSTC when a live sea turtle is stranded on Wassaw Island. GSTC and the Jekyll Island Authority also support nocturnal beach patrols on Jekyll Island similar to those conducted on Wassaw Island by CRP.
CRP is an active member of the Georgia Sea Turtle Cooperative, which coordinates monitoring and protection activities for loggerhead turtles on the Georgia coast. Check out their website to watch an informative video led by Mark Dodd, Sea Turtle Program Coordinator for Georgia DNR.
Home to CRP, Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge is 10,053-acres of pristine beach, rolling dunes, live oak and slash pine woodlands, and vast salt marshes. Wassaw was designated a National Wildlife Refuge in 1969, and unlike many of Georgia's Golden Isles, little development and few management practices have modified Wassaw's primitive character. Refuge visitors may enjoy recreational activities such as bird watching, beach combing, hiking, and general nature studies. The 20 miles of dirt roads on Wassaw Island and seven miles of beach provide an ideal wildlife trail system for hikers. And, of course, Wassaw is a summertime home for nesting loggerhead turtles, which emerge from the ocean at night deposit clutches of eggs.
One Hundred Miles is a nonprofit coastal advocacy organization with a mission of protecting, preserving, and enhancing the 100-mile Georgia coast. One Hundred Miles builds programs around the guiding principle that preserving the natural features of Georgia coast is critical for long-term quality of life and sustainable economic growth. Moreover, One Hundred Miles connects the scientific community with decision makers to secure healthy populations of coastal Georgia’s signature wildlife species, including loggerhead turtles.
Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary is a 22 square mile natural live-bottom ecosystem that is teeming with marine life. The sanctuary is used by endangered North Atlantic right whales, as well as Wassaw's loggerhead turtles. Gray's Reef is the only protected natural reef area on the continental shelf off the Georgia coast. The mission of Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary is to identify, protect, conserve, and enhance the natural and cultural resources, values and qualities of the sanctuary for current and future generations.
The Georgia Aquarium is a public aquarium in Atlanta, GA. It houses more than a hundred thousand animals and represents several thousand species, all of which reside in 10 million US gallons of marine and salt water. The Aquarium's notable specimens include whale sharks, beluga whales, California sea lions, bottlenose dolphins, manta rays and of course a sea turtle or two.
.
UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant provide research, education, training and science-based outreach to assist Georgia in solving problems and realizing opportunities for its coastal and marine environments. UGA also uses in-water surveys with bottom trawling to capture sea turtles in coastal waters in order to study their populations.
Green Volunteers organizes a guide and database for nature-based volunteer work around the world. With over 400 projects lists, they help connect people to a wide range of volunteer opportunities, from wildlife conservation to humanitarian initiatives to archeological preservation.
For over 40 years Wilderness Southeast has specialized in providing nature discovery tours to learn about nature and wildlife around Savannah. All our eco-adventures – for individuals, families, and groups of all types – combine information from many fields (biology, ecology, geology, natural and cultural history) with just plain FUN!
Here you will find information that will help you decide if Ecotourism is right for you, what the benefits of Ecotourism are, how to plan for an Eco-Trip and where you to find Ecotourism opportunities around the world.
