She's back ...

Bev the sea turtle is back.

Bev was among a group of sea turtles found on a beach along the Gulf of Mexico last year. According to an article in today's Florida Times-Union, Bev and the others suffered from an illness that prevented them from opening their jaws. Many of the turtles died, but Bev was kept alive by being hand-fed tiny bits of fish at a marine park in Panama City.

Because she was unable to eat normally, it was though that Bev would remain in captivity. Then someone suggested she be sent to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island.

The GSTC staff worked with Bev, providing physical and behavioral therapy until she could fully open her mouth and eat on her own. Fitted with a radio tracking transmitter, she was returned to the wild in November, from Panama Beach. 

Due to genetic differences between Gulf Coast turtles and those found along the Atlantic, scientists believed Bev would remain in the Gulf. Satellite transmissions showed that to be the case.

Then she 'fell off the radar,' so to speak.

When Bev's signal was detected again, she was found to be swimming off Florida's east coast, heading north with the Gulf Stream. When she reached colder water around the South Carolina border, she headed south again -- right back to Jekyll Island.

Bill Irwin, director of the Sea Turtle Center, says this was completely unexpected and highly unusual. Some scientists think she may have nested previously on Jekyll Island. Irwin says that may be true, given that Bev is behaving that way. They'll know for sure if she shows up on the Jekyll Island beach later this year.

In the meantime, Irwin and his staff will 'keep an eye' on Bev and she meanders about in the marsh behind Jekyll.

Stay tuned.

-- JB

Learn more about the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island.