Pictured: Island Turtle team members left to right : Barbara Gobien, Raye Ann Osborne, Ellen Gower, Jo Durham, Mary Pringle and Shawn Drackwicz. Family Vacation Rental Group members left to right Alex Stone, Ashley and Michael Carroll, Krista and Hugh Swingle, Win Walker and Fran Cote
The Family Vacation Rental Group (FVR) has presented a $10,000 check to the Island Turtle Team in support of its ongoing genetics research program.
“Supporting the Island Turtle Team is an example of our commitment to giving back to our community,” said FVR co-chair Mel Miles. “We are also posting Lights Out for Turtles signs in our oceanfront vacation homes to ensure that our family vacation rental guests are informed about local regulations and the importance of protecting our turtles.”
The Family Vacation Rental Group, comprised of 17 locally and professionally managed vacation rental companies, is a subcommittee of the Isle of Palms Chamber of Commerce formed to improve communication and livability with residents. Representing more than 80% of all professionally managed properties, the FVR is committed to being a responsible and caring member of the Isle of Palms community.
The group regularly participates in local events, supports first responders, and contributes to charitable initiatives that benefit Isle of Palms. By fostering a sense of community, the FVR aims to protect the unique charm and beauty of the island.
Since 2010, the Island Turtle Team has collected genetic samples to read DNA from each nest. This data is added to a multistate database that tracks the nesting history of tens of thousands of individual loggerhead mothers along the Atlantic Coast. The research reveals valuable information, such as how many nests each turtle has laid, where they are laid, how often they return, and even details about daughters and granddaughters.
The Island Turtle Team is an all-volunteer group of about 180 people who monitor and protect loggerhead nests on the Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island under the authority of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Marine Turtle Program. Because sea turtles are an endangered species, the team must apply annually for a nesting permit that allows members to:
- Identify and mark nests, inventory hatched nests, and recover hatchlings.
- Use a probe to locate eggs, relocate nests, and screen them against predators.
- Collect one eggshell from each nest for genetic research.
Dozens of volunteers walk the beaches each morning during nesting season. If they find tracks, they alert an authorized team member, who then locates the eggs and marks the nest. Some nests must be relocated to safer areas. Each nest is marked with an orange SCDNR sign and screened for protection.
For many years, the genetics research project was funded by federal grants, but those were discontinued. Since each eggshell sample costs about $30 to collect, transport and process, the total annual expense is nearly $100,000. The Turtle Team raises funds each year to keep the project going.
More information is available at www.islandturtleteam.org.