“Juno Beach is one of the most densely populated sea turtle nesting areas in the world.  We’re in the turtle’s territory.” – Melissa Ranly, Loggerhead Marinelife Center Hospital Coordinator

This is the second part of a two-part interview.  In Part 1 Melissa told us about the Center, her work with sea turtles, and the challenges met during record cold in Florida this January.  In Part 2 Melissa talks  about the Center’s educational programs and what we can do to help protect sea turtles during nesting season and year round.  Enjoy!

Education has always been central to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center.  “The Center began with the work of one woman, Eleanor Fletcher, more than 25 years ago,” Melissa says.  “Out of her love and passion for sea turtles she helped protect the nests, helped the hatchlings, and wanted to share her love and passion with children and future generations.”   There are educational programs year round, but the Center offers guided Turtle Walks during June and July to learn about the local nesting areas.  “We want to make sure everyone is getting a good education, and doing things the right way for the animals.  Juno Beach is one of the most densely populated sea turtle nesting areas in the world.  We’re in the turtle’s territory,” explains Melissa.

Melissa  is amazed by the strength and resilience of sea turtles.  “They heal from traumatic injuries surprisingly well, and 80 percent of what we treat them for are man-made injuries.  They’ve been around for millions of years.”  Take Morgan, who came to the Center with traumatic injuries, but is now recovering well.  “He’s one of those turtles that didn’t seem to know how sick he was, and he’s one of the strongest turtles I’ve treated,” says Melissa.  Despite their strength, sea turtles need protection.  Marine and beach enthusiasts can put sea turtles in danger.  “Fishing line is a huge problem.  If a fisherman gets stuck on a reef they cut their line.  The reef is where turtles and other species are feeding and they become entangled.  Plastic bags look a lot like jellyfish, and some sea turtles eat jellyfish.  So plastic bags can be a problem too.”

Nesting season for sea turtles is from March 1 through October 31 in the Southeast United States, and people around nesting areas at the beach should be careful during this time.  Melissa advises, “Don’t leave an imprint on the beach.  Leave everything the way you came.  Take your trash, fill in any holes you dig – sea turtles or the hatchlings can fall in and be vulnerable to prey.  If you see a female sea turtle, give her space and let her find a place to lay her eggs.  Watch from a distance.  They can get spooked easily, and they’ll leave if they feel uneasy.”  Night time during nesting season is lights out  – including flashlights.  “If you’re at the beach at night, or in a condo or house on the beach, no lights.  When the hatchlings emerge they can become disoriented and they’ll head toward the lights – looking for the moon’s reflection on the water,” warns Melissa.

Not at the beach but still want to help?  Anyone can aid sea turtles and other marine life simply by using less water, according to Melissa.  “Water conservation is a huge help to the entire aquatic eco system.  Minimize the water you use – washing dishes, brushing your teeth.  That helps all of us.”

Melissa, thank you for sharing so much about sea turtles and your work at the Center – and for teaching us how to protect this ancient species.  We wish you the best during sea turtle nesting season, and we’ll keep in touch to see how things are going!

The Loggerhead Marine Life Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization relying on donations for support.  Admission is free and visitors can view recovering sea turtles in an open courtyard.  There are many programs for children, exhibits, and a gift shop. Visit the Center’s web site for upcoming events, information, and volunteering opportunities.  The web site’s turtle cam shows the daily progress of recovering sea turtles. 

“We took in 75-80 sea turtles in two weeks during the cold in January.  That’s more than we usually treat in two years.  Our volunteers were here day and night.”  – Melissa Ranly, Loggerhead Marinelife Center Hospital Coordinator

The Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, Florida is a full service veterinary hospital for sea turtles and an education and coastal conservation center open to the public.  Located near one of the most active sea turtle nesting beaches in the world, the Center – and the recovering sea turtles – have over 200,000 visitors each year.  With nesting season beginning March 1, KissMyCountry interviewed Melissa Ranly, the Center’s Hospital Coordinator.  Melissa gives us a glimpse into the world of these ancient and gentle creatures in this two part interview.  In Part 1 Melissa talks about the Center, her work with sea turtles and the challenges met during record cold this January.  In Part 2 Melissa talks about the Center’s educational programs and what all of us can do to protect sea turtles during nesting season and year round.  Enjoy!

Melissa’s day begins with the new turtles arriving at the Center for care and treatment.  “The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission oversees turtle rescues, and they call when they need our help.  Occasionally we go out with our sea turtle ambulance.  We do blood work and x-rays when a turtle arrives, looking for any hooks or pneumonia – basic diagnostics.  We clean off any barnacles on their shell.  Usually the turtles have been sick or injured for quite some time before they strand.”  The rest of Melissa’s day is spent with other turtle patients – shots, wound care, de-worming, weighing and measuring.  There are surgeries too.  “It’s a hospital, and the turtles receive the same type of care a human patient would get,” explains Melissa.

Melissa also oversees the Center’s large group of rehabilitation volunteers who prepare food for the turtles, clean their tanks, and educate the public.   “We have a great group of volunteers”, says Melissa, “It’s been an amazing year so far.  We took in 75-80 sea turtles in two weeks during the cold in January.  That’s more than we usually treat in two years.  No one could have been prepared for this, and the collaboration was incredible.  Our volunteers were here day and night.”

 Melissa described the coordinated effort between the Center staff, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Center’s volunteers.  “Nearly 400-500 turtles were taken out of the water each day, and close to 5,000 turtles were stranded during the cold spell.  The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission established a staging facility, sending the worst turtles to rehabilitation centers while others were warmed up and returned to the water.”  For turtles sent to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center during the cold spell, staff formed a triage protocol to treat turtles in the right order with the sickest turtles treated first.  Donors and local organizations responded with donations for the Center’s increased needs during this time.

Melissa, who  has a degree in Psychology, learned to take care of sea turtles and other marine animals at Sea World in Orlando, Florida during the 10 years she worked in their aquarium and animal care departments.  While at Sea World, Melissa had the chance to meet people from other marine animal rehabilitation centers at annual meetings in Marathon, Florida.   When she moved to the Juno Beach area, Melissa sought out the Center.  “My love for the ocean and my love for turtles couldn’t keep me away”, Melissa confesses.

Melissa is from South Florida and, as a Florida native loves Florida more than anywhere else in the world.  “I love the ocean and so many places in Florida – St. Augustine, the Keys, Captiva and Sanibel Island.”  She did recently travel to the Pacific Northwest.  “I went from Oregon to Vancouver, and saw cliffs overlooking pristine beaches.  I took a ferry to San Juan Island, one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.”

Melissa, the sea turtles and the Loggerhead Marinelife Center are lucky to have you, and your work is exciting and important.  Tomorrow we’ll continue our conversation to hear about the Center’s educational programs and how we can all protect sea turtles during nesting season and year round.

The Loggerhead Marine Life Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization relying on donations for support.  Admission is free and visitors can view recovering sea turtles in an open courtyard.  There are many programs for children, exhibits, and a gift shop. Visit the Center’s web site for upcoming events, information, and volunteer  opportunities.  The web site’s turtle cam shows the ongoing progress of recovering sea turtles.