The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Tour

The outstanding sea turtle presentation, Turtle Talk, by Education Coordinator, Kim Escalante on March 25th convinced the Carolina Nature Coalition board to arrange a tour of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Surf City, NC.

Board Member Nat McKeller Crosby enjoyed the tour

On July 21st, our group convened at the Center in Surf City. We met our guide, a new intern, who introduced us to the history of The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center:

"The KBSTRRC began with the Topsail Turtle Project, which was organized by Karen Beasley in order to preserve and protect sea turtle nests, nesting females, and hatchlings on the 26 miles of coastline on Topsail Island. After Karen's early death, the torch was passed on to her mother, Jean Beasley, the first Executive Director of both the nesting program and the rehabilitation center. Jean continues to serve as Board Member Emerita".

For more history of the Center, go to https://www.seaturtlehospital.org/our-story.html.

At the start of the tour, a fabulously huge mural fully covers the wall on the right side of the room.

Following the route through the Center, we stopped at every viewing station, each an introduction to all aspects of sea turtles, from their anatomy, to the dangers they encounter and to their rescue and rehabilitation.

Snooki, an adult female loggerhead turtle, was admitted to The Karen Bealey Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center on October 30, 2016. Snooki was stranded in Cape May, NJ until her rescue by the Marine Mammal Stranding Center of Brigantine, NJ. She has a positive bouyancy disorder that prevents her from diving, and, thus, is not releasable to the wild. Snooki weighs 320 lbs.

The following is a short video of Snooki in her exercise tank:

The 45 minute tour presented interesting and informative facts about the lives and challenges sea turtles face every day. The KBSTRRC volunteers work hard to save and rehabilitate these wonderful creatures who are important to the ocean environment.

If you would like to tour the Center, please know, reservations are required. Weather permitting, you can view a turtle nesting site on the beach.

For more information and to book a tour go to https://www.seaturtlehospital.org/our-story.html.