Turtles Take the Stage at New Recovery Exhibit

Sea Turtle Care Center Manager Willow Melamet was beaming. The team at the South Carolina Aquarium had just completed major surgery on an adult female sea turtle – and aquarium visitors were watching live. It was all thanks to the brand-new Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery area of the aquarium.

© South Carolina Aquarium Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery

Sea Turtle Recovery walks visitors along the path of a rescued sea turtle as it moves through treatment and rehabilitation and ultimately to release back into the ocean. Visitors can watch a live surgery through a glass window and on a TV monitor.

The first such surgery happened a few days after the Sea Turtle Recovery’s official opening and the aquarium was filled with visitors. They crowded in to watch as a large piece of filament fishing line was removed from the GI tract of Peach, an adult female Kemp’s ridley – a rare and critically endangered species.

Melamet was thrilled to watch the faces of children during that surgery. “It was a pretty cool moment,” she said.

That kind of up close education and hands-on experience is what makes the Sea Turtle Recovery such an important part of the aquarium’s mission raising awareness about the plight of the sea turtle. Fishing nets, fishing lines and plastics are some of the most serious threats to sea turtles.

Showing visitors the impact and letting them know about the dangers of sea turtles eating plastic bags or fishing lines can be eye-opening. Part of Sea Turtle Recovery reinforces how visitors can make a difference in the lives of sea turtles.

Interactive stations explain causes of sea turtle strandings and let visitors practice diagnosing a mock patient. Tablets next to each patient’s tank share that turtle’s story with guests and detail its progress. A classroom and theater provide a glimpse into what happens before and after a turtle’s time in recovery.

Also, new to the overall Sea Turtle Care Center is the McNair Center, the aquarium’s in-house research facility. The aquarium will take information gleaned from 16 years of treating turtle injuries and illnesses, and present it to the scientific community so that researchers all over the world can benefit.

Plan Your Visit:

South Carolina Aquarium, 100 Aquarium Wharf in Charleston

scaquarium.org

Tickets: $29.95 ages 13+ / $22.95 ages 3-12

Open daily 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Share your photos from your visit to the Sea Turtle Recovery on social media with #ProtectWhatYouLove.

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Charleston things to do in the Spring season?

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Charleston things to do in the Summer season?

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Charleston things to do in the Fall season?

Fall is one of the best times to visit. The weather cools down a bit and the skies are typically blue and clear. In addition there are many great events, festivals and the large crowds of summer have gone back to school or work. For more info on visiting in the fall, checkout this article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-12-things-to-do-fall/

What should I not miss in Charleston?

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Both cities are historic and beautiful.
Both cities are extremely walkable. Savannah, with it’s park-like squares maybe more walkable than Charleston.
Charleston has a more established and food scene with many more options.
Charleston has better hotels and shopping.
Both cities have equally good tours.
Charleston has better beach options. Savannah has Tybee which is great, however it’s 1 beach vibe versus Charleston which has 3 beaches with different vibes. Checkout this Charleston beach guide article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/
In Savannah you can walk with alcoholic beverages on the street. This is not allowed in Charleston. This can be good or bad depending on your stance.
Savannah is more affordable.
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