On March 8, Executive Director, Jaynie Gaskin, of the Georgia Southern Sea Turtle Program on St. Catherines Island arrived at the Jacksonville airport to pick up the Kashmir World Foundation team for the Fly for Conservation Expedition 001. The expedition began at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on at Jekyll Island. Executive Director Dr. Terry Norton invited Kashmir World Foundation team including Princess Aliyah, Dr. Ronald Pandolfi, Kashmir Rose Pandolfi, Dan Smith, and Vance Farren to explore the center and observe Dr. Norton perform surgery on a green sea turtle that was injured from a boat.
Through sea turtle rehabilitation, research and education programs, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center increases awareness of habitat and wildlife conservation challenges, promotes responsibility for ecosystem health and empower individuals to act locally, regionally, and globally to protect the environment.
Dr. Terry Norton is the Director, Veterinarian, and Founder of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC). He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in 1986 and completed a residency in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine at the University of Florida in 1989. He became a Diplomate in the American College of Zoological Medicine in 1992. He has provided veterinary care for White Oak Conservation Center, Riverbanks Zoo, North Carolina State Zoo and the Wildlife Conservation Society’s St. Catherines Island (SCI) Wildlife Survival Center. He developed and implemented the Georgia Wildlife Health Program, which has evaluated the health of many state and federally listed species including sea turtles, alligator snapping turtles, diamondback terrapins, Barbour’s map turtles, gopher tortoises, box turtles, eastern indigo snakes, eastern diamondback and canebrake rattlesnakes, eastern king snakes, American alligators, American oystercatchers, brown pelicans and marine mammals. Currently, he provides veterinary care for the Jekyll Island Authority’s GSTC and SCI Foundation programs. He volunteers his services for the Turtle Survival Alliance’s Turtle Survival Center. He has published numerous articles for referred journals and book chapters. He is Adjunct Professor at the University of Georgia, University of Florida, North Carolina State University, and Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Norton is the Vice President of the St. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring Network. He is a graduate of the 2009 Institute of Georgia Environmental Leadership (IGEL) program. He was the Chair of the Conservation Planning Committee for Jekyll Island. Dr. Norton has worked around the world on several projects including Indonesia for the Bali mynah reintroduction project, Madagascar for lemur health assessments, the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico for Flamingo health related work, Panama for Capuchin monkey and sea turtle health assessments, several Caribbean countries for avian and sea turtle health related work, and most recently Costa Rica for sea turtle and other wildlife conservation efforts. He was recently honored by the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians with the Emil Dolensik Award.
Help save sea turtles by becoming a member of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. You can join as an individual or family.
Currently, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center has more than 200 active members who renew annually to take advantage of the great perks that go along with supporting the Center through a membership.
Memberships to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center are offered at levels to fit any budget. No matter which membership fits your budget, all levels include a variety of benefits, including free admission and free guest passes to the Center, free access to other Jekyll Island amenities, discounts on special activities such as the Nest Walks and summer camps, among other gifts. CLICK HERE to become a member!
You can also show your support through the WALKWAY TO WONDER BRICK CAMPAIGN
Donors can purchase a brick within the walkway leading to the Center’s main entrance, a purchase which supports the work of the Center as well as is an ideal gift or memorialization piece.
The Walkway to Wonder campaign is offered at two levels. For a $100 donation, you can purchase a brick in the sidewalk leading up to the Center. For a $500 donation, you can purchase a centerpiece brick placed in the sea turtle mosaic logo at the front entrance of the Center.