Turtle Day set for April 29 in Ponce Inlet

By HENRY FREDERICK
Headline Surfer

PONCE INLET, Fla. -- Enjoy some close encounters with endangered sea turtles and other marine life during the 15th annual Turtle Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at the Marine Science Center, 100 Lighthouse Drive.

Animal rehabilitation staff will explain how they care for injured birds and sea turtles, while vendors will sell food, beverages and frozen custard. Exhibitors from regional conservation organizations will provide information on projects throughout the area. Other activities will include face painting, crafts and live music.

Attendees can meet glove-trained birds of prey and get their hands wet in the center’s touch pool, which features cownose rays and hermit crabs.

Admission to the Marine Science Center and Turtle Day events will be free. Turtle Day is sponsored by Tortugas Care Charity Foundation of the Daytona Tortugas; Ritter’s Frozen Custard; Bass Pro Shops; Alexis Lenssen, CFP, Raymond James; and the Friends of Marine Science Center.

If You Go:

The Marine Science Center is an environmental learning center providing rehabilitation for sick and injured sea turtles and seabirds. Visitors can learn about marine life in the center’s exhibit hall, which includes a 1,400-gallon touch pool, a 5,000-gallon artificial reef aquarium, living reef, octopus and moray eel exhibits, and a gift shop. They also can watch turtles and birds receive specialized care, visit habitats for bald eagles and wading birds, walk along the nature trail, and climb the observation tower.

Did You Know?

Since opening in 2002, the Marine Science Center has cared for more than 17,000 sea turtles and more than 1,300 gopher tortoises, freshwater turtles and snakes. The Mary Keller Seabird Rehabilitation Facility at the Marine Science Center has received more than 13,000 birds since opening in 2004.

For more information, please call the Marine Science Center at 386-304-5545 or visit www.marinesciencecenter.com.