Diamondback Terrapin Turtles VS Ninja Turtles

Join us on Saturday, September 21 at CCA's Outdoor Education Pavilion located at the Kids' Fishing Lagoon (adjacent to Log Landing Road and the Oakridge Fire Station) for Cast Away Club’s final educational program of the season on diamondback terrapin turtles. Diamondbacks were harvested almost to extinction in the late 1800’s through the early 1900’s. In 2003 the state of Georgia added the Diamondback to it’s “Species of Concern” and banned commercial harvesting of the turtles. Lisa Isenhour, co-chair of the Diamondback Terrapin Rescue Project will be on hand to tell us all about these turtles and how volunteers help them to be released into the marshes to begin their journey. She will have live turtles on hand for a show-and-tell.

The Skidaway Audubon Diamondback Terrapin Rescue project is the largest endeavor of its kind along the East Coast. Volunteers work under the direction of naturalist John Crawford from the UGA Marine Science Center.  Have you seen a golf cart or bicycle flying a blue flag? These are the Diamondback Terrapin volunteers going about their duties. From late April til early August, the volunteers search for turtles laying eggs and nests that have already been laid in sand traps. From mid-July through mid-October the volunteers check the nesting boxes for baby turtles that have hatched and are ready to go to the marsh.  

After the nature program the kids and their parents will have an opportunity to fish together from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Rods, reels, and bait will be provided by the Coastal Conservation Association Skidaway Chapter (CCA). Volunteers from CCA will be available to assist. CCA of Skidaway is sponsoring this FREE event for all Landings children. 

Attendance is limited to 35, so please register as soon as possible at ccaskidaway.org. For more information, email Mary White (jesrayaus@gmail.com).