Loggerhead Sea Turtle graduates to new tank at the Marine Science Center

TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - While it’s just the beginning of the school year for many, some are already graduating!

We’re talking about Ike! He’s the Tybee Island Marine Science Center’s Loggerhead Sea Turtle who made a big move today

The tank is the largest one the science center has ever had and it’s the grad, Ike’s, new home. This tank is nearly 5,000 gallons, which is 25 times bigger than his old one.

Graduation day at the marine science center was full of smiles and cheers as people watched Ike make his way from the west gallery to the big tank in the center’s undercroft. Ike was born on Tybee Island almost two years ago when he was found left behind in one of the nests.

So, folks at the science center say they rescued him and have had him ever since. This move is so important to Ike’s continued growth.

The tank will allow him to get bigger and stronger before he goes to the ocean. It will also increase his chance of making it to adulthood.

Ike wears several hats at the science center, not just a grad cap, he serves as the Marine Debris Ambassador helping people learn about the importance of keeping our oceans clean.

”We have him so people can fall in love with the ocean and fall in love with sea turtles and realize why they’re so important out in the ocean and what the problems that they face are and what we need to do to help,” said program director Alli Williford.

With this new tank, the science center says they can keep their sea turtles for longer. They used to only be able to have them for two years and now they can have them for three.

So this means, next summer, when Ike’s almost three-years-old, he will get released into the ocean.

Copyright 2022 WTOC. All rights reserved.