Addy's Adventure

It was a story that left the Tybee Island community and surrounding area in disbelief. Whether you are a resident of coastal Georgia or not, there’s a good chance you remember hearing about the six loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings that were taken from the beach on Tybee Island in July 2018. The story quickly made national news that summer. Instead of making their way to the ocean as hatchlings do, the six hatchlings were taken from the beach by island visitors, who were unaware of the legal ramifications of taking protected animals from their habitat.

The hatchlings were taken back to Admiral’s Inn, a local Tybee Island lodging establishment, where the visitors were staying. The baby hatchlings were soon found by the housekeeping and maintenance staff at the inn and the Tybee Island Marine Science Center was notified. Staff from the Center rushed over and within an hour of being retrieved from the inn, five of the hatchlings were re-hydrated and released into the Atlantic Ocean on the north end of Tybee Island.

Shown here in a small plastic tub, these six hatchlings were found in a tourist's room at a local inn on Tybee Island. Photo provided by Tybee Island Marine Science Center After just a couple months in the care of TIMSC, she's already growing. Photo provided by Tybee Island Marine Science Center

As part of their conservation efforts, the Tybee Island Marine Science Center holds a permit to keep a hatchling every two years to serve as an animal ambassador. The sixth hatchling was kept by the center for that very purpose. The baby hatchling needed a name and locals had fun weighing in on what her name should be. It was soon decided that she would be called Addy, after her brief and unusual stay at Admiral’s Inn.

Addy became quite the celebrity that summer. She settled into her home at the Center’s Strand location right away and it wasn’t long before her unique personality started to shine. Weighing just 17g (approximately the weight of a strawberry or a tablespoon of water) when she first arrived at the Center, Addy is now quite the heavyweight weighing in at 13,000kg (approximately 30 pounds). She quickly graduated from her 30 gallon tank to her current 800

gallon tank. A bit of an overachiever, Addy routinely reaches her milestones ahead of schedule despite her unsettling beginning. She has proven to outpace other hatchlings the Center has previously cared for and continues to impress her caretakers and visitors. She is very engaging and craves attention from staff and visitors alike. As many have said, “to know her is to love her!”

Addy continues to thrive and receives a healthy diet consisting of “seafood brownies” (think carrots, kale, and lots of seafood) and “sea turtle jello” lovingly made by her caretakers. She also receives live feedings for enrichment. Blue crabs may be her favorite snack and she is currently eating 2% of her body weight.

Addy will remain at the Center until her release, planned for later this year. But for now, she is preparing for quite the upgrade. Her new home at the center’s new location on Meddin Drive will consist of a sprawling 4,590 gallon tank offering plenty of room for her to continue to grow until her release.

In an effort to involve the community in these socially distanced times, the Tybee Island Marine Science Center recently launched Addy’s Adventure, an interactive journey to move Addy from her current location at the Strand to her new home at Meddin Drive. Addy’s Adventure will serve as the final stage of the Center’s capital campaign that will raise money for the remaining exhibits at the new location.

Addy’s Adventure will begin at the Strand and will conclude at the center’s new location at 37 Meddin Drive which is a total of 14,256 feet (2.7 miles) to travel. For every $10 donated to Addy’s Adventure, Addy will travel one foot towards her new home and for every $100 donated, she will move ten feet. With the help and support of an invested community who adores this special ambassador, Addy’s Adventure is sure to be a success! To follow her progress and to donate to Addy’s Adventure, visit AddysAdventure. com.

Left, Addy at just over a year old. Top, a closeup of Addy mugging for the camera. Above, a leisurely swim around her tank. Photo by Sara Buck Lane; other photos provided by Tybee Island Marine Science Center