A Great Day for the Genetics Project August 26

The Island Turtle Team is always trying to raise money to support the genetics project that has encompassed the sea turtle nesting beaches across the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. This began when Dr. Brian Shamblin or the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia was a graduate student and discovered that a nesting female loggerhead turtle's genetic identity could be determined by examining the inner membrane of just one eggshell from the 4-6 nests she lays throughout a summer season. Since 2010 we have been collecting a shell from each nest, putting it in a vial of alcohol and sending it to UGA by way of the Marine Turtle Program at the SC Department of Natural Resources. Because of this we and the scientific researchers know who the turtle mom's are that are nesting on our beaches, where each one lays her nests each year, how long she has been nesting, who her sisters and daughters are. After the Federal grants that were paying for this valuable research study expired a few years ago, Teams like us along the coast have donated as much money as we could raise because this project costs approximately $90,000 annually.

Today the Isle of Palms Chamber of Commerce met and because of the Vacation Rental Group's recommendation, they donated a generous $10,000 that will go toward keeping the project going until enough data is collected. We wish to express our deep appreciation to Mel Miles and their other members who not only spearheaded this idea but also are putting Lights Out for Turtles signs in all their front beach rentals on the Isle of Palms.

You too can be a part of this effort by going to the Go Fund Me option at the top of this website.