“We’re pleased and honored,” said Jean Beasley, the director of the sea turtle hospital. “This is quite a prestigious award.”
The sea turtle hospital offers limited visiting offers because it is a hospital where sick and injured turtles are nurtured back to good health. Yet, the hospital attracts more than 1,000 visitors per day within a four hour visitation period.
“We are proud of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center,” said Tammy Proctor, the Pender County tourism director. “Jean and the all-volunteer staff work miracles in the rescue and care of the endangered sea turtles and they still have time to welcome visitors!”
At the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, the all-volunteer staff cares for three species of endangered sea turtles – loggerheads, Kemp’s ridleys, and greens. The Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are the most endangered. The loggerheads, weighing up to several hundred pounds, are the largest sea turtles at the hospital.
“The sea turtle hospital started with one turtle in a volunteer’s backyard,” said Beasley, also a volunteer.
The first turtle rescued by sea turtle volunteers was in the fall 1995. The turtle’s name was Lucky and there have been hundreds of lucky turtles since. The hospital releases turtles that received care and were deemed healthy enough to return to their natural habitat.
There are several marine life agencies which care for sea turtles in the nation. But the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation is one of the few worldwide dedicated to caring exclusively for sea turtles.
The sea turtle hospital opened in Topsail Beach on Nov. 7, 1997, near the Bush Marina. In May 2014, the new facility officially opened in Surf City. Located at 302 Tortuga Lane, off Charlie Medlin Drive, the sea turtle hospital houses a room for surgeries, a diagnostics lab with x-ray equipment, rehabilitation pool, and isolation sick bay.
The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center is open Thursdays and Saturdays, 1 – 4 p.m., in the fall. For more information about the sea turtle hospital visit their website at www.seaturtlehospital.org or visit facebook.com/Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center.
