Guest Post By Cyndi Lenz
Loggerhead turtles hanging on the back of a truck waiting to be returned to the ocean after their rehab at Loggerhead Marine Life Center in Juno, Florida.
Over 30 years ago, long-time Juno Beach resident Eleanor Fletcher started what is now Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Eleanor and her husband Robert had a real estate business in Juno Beach. Eleanor began to notice there were many sea turtles nesting on the shore in spring and summer. She was curious about why so many hatchings headed landward after hatching, rather than back to sea, and as a result, began some of the earliest research on sea turtles in our area.
As she learned more and more about the sea turtles, she began to see that the turtles were threatened by the encroachment of man as he moved and built closer and closer to the shoreline. She decided that educating children about the sea turtles and the need for conservation and protection was the best hope for the sea turtles to survive over the long term. She began giving classes, first in her home, then above the real estate office as more and more children enjoyed her programs.
In April 2007, the organization relocated to a new 12,000 square foot certified “green” facility and changed its name to Loggerhead Marinelife Center. The new facility includes a state-of-the-art full service veterinary hospital, exhibit hall, outdoor classroom, research lab, and resource center. They have an awesome gift shop. I usually go there this time of year to buy ocean related child books for my nieces and this year for my grandson.
Loggerhead Marinelife Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit education and ocean conservation facility located on the Atlantic Ocean in Palm Beach County, Florida. The facility houses a variety of exhibits, live sea turtles and other coastal creatures. Exhibits include a massive prehistoric Archelon sea turtle replica, salt water aquaria and displays of local wildlife, as well as educational displays about South Florida’s marine environment.”
I included the photo above and some video in my multi award winning documentary film “The Garbage of Jupiter Beach” because these gentle giants often come with plastic bags in their guts, or filled with fishing line or some other garbage people have thrown in the ocean. So before you liter please put these guys in your head and understand the damage that can be done.
Here are photos from the last time I was there last year.
You can go here and see whose in the hospital now.
This is wonderful place to support. I am looking forward to the day I can take my Grandson Ethan.
About Cyndi:
Psych Nurse, Award Winning Documentary Filmmaker, Vlogger Blogger, Photographer, Crazed River Warrior of the Indian River Lagoon.Â
