Hammock Happenings

‘Tis the Season for Spinner Sharks By Jack McDonald, Environmental Educator, and Cory O’Mills, Exhibits Coordinator

During the winter months we see large migra-

tions of sharks swimming south in search of warmer breeding grounds. One of the easiest

to spot is the spinner shark (Carcharhinus brevipinna). The spinner shark has a long tor-

pedo-shaped body, and can grow to an aver-age of 6.5 feet and around 125 pounds. In the water, spinners can be difficult to identify since

they lack any obvious characteristics, and are often confused for the similar-looking black tip

shark. However, when you see one leap out of the water, there is no mistaking it.

Spinner sharks are named for

their character-istic spiraling

leaps as they chase food from the bottom up,

twisting as they break the

water’s surface. They feed main-

ly on open-water schooling fishes, such as

sardines, blue-fish and tuna.

Spinner sharks have a unique fishing method where they charge through schools of fish, spinning and snapping as they go, launching

out of the water and diving through the school

again. This chaotic offense makes it difficult

for the fish to predict the direction of the at-tack, and makes for a fun spectacle from the

beachside.

While some may find the idea of thousands of sharks swimming just off the coast terrifying, it is important to note that the spinner shark of-

fers almost no threat to humans. This migra-tion happens every year, during the peak of the

South Florida tourist season, and shark-related injuries are virtually non-existent. The spinner shark’s teeth are small, and point inward. They

are designed to eat small fish whole, not taking a chunk out of a person. In fact, most injuries

occur when surfers or fishermen accidently col-lide with one of these flying sharks in mid-air.

While hi-fiving a shark with your face may not be fun in the moment, most experienced ocean goers recognize it as an occupational hazard,

and awesome story.

January – April 2017

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center 1801 North Ocean Boulevard, Boca Raton, Florida, 33432, www.gumbolimbo.org

Hours of Operation

Sunday: Noon - 4 PM Monday - Saturday: 9 AM - 4 PM

We will be closed January 1

Admission

Suggested Donation of $5 per person

100% of your donations go to Friends of Gumbo Limbo and are

used to support the Nature Center, including, but not limited to, feeding the animals, purchasing supplies and services for the

Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Program, and creating exhibits.

CITY OF BOCA RATON EMPLOYEES

Manager Leanne Welch

Aquarist

Anthony Ceparano

Custodian Eric Valentin

Environmental Educator

Jack McDonald

Environmental Program Coordinators

Kristin Child Susan Elliott

Exhibits Coordinator Cory Keester-O’Mills

Groundskeeper Jean Bernard Edouard

Marine Conservationist

Kirt Rusenko, PhD

Marine Turtle Specialist II David Anderson

Marine Turtle Specialists Rachel Bladow

Ali Courtemanche Sydney Jimenez Rebecca Mannen Emily Mirowski

Caidra Rice Taylor Roe

Annalise Wershoven

Science Educators Jeffrey Dobbs Cole Reintsma

Sea Turtle Rehabilitation

Assistant Coordinator Caitlin Bovery

Sea Turtle Rehabilitation

Coordinator Whitney Crowder

Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Technician

Laurie Herrick

Secretary Darlene Rosa

Visitor Hospitality Representative

Debra Wilson

FRIENDS OF GUMBO LIMBO EMPLOYEES

Director of Retail & Finance Diane Bilodeau

Executive Coordinator Brandon Canute

Gift Shop Assistant

Manager Jean DeLuca

Sales Associates

Kelly Lattimore Brittany Murphy

Fran Ortiz

Marie Parker Delaney Peel

Contact Us

General Information: (561) 544-8605

Program Sign-up: (561) 544-8615

Gift Store: (561) 544-8610

Membership: (561) 544-8608

info@gumbolimbo.org

page 2

Hammock Happenings Editor, Design, Layout: Kristin Child

GUMBO LIMBO NATURE CENTER STAFF FRIENDS OF GUMBO LIMBO BOARD OF TRUSTEES

President

Michele Kurucz Peel

First Vice President Lawrence Weissman

Second Vice President Laura McCurdy

Treasurer Ross Appel

Secretary

Bronwen de Villiers

Board Members Ken Imhoff

Karin Marques James D. Miller Geoffrey Silva

Constance Thoms-Mazur Robyn Morigerato

Susan Walker Andrew Winninger

Honorary Board Member Gordon J. Gilbert

Photo by Ben Hicks

Manager’s Corner: Greetings from Gumbo Limbo! By Leanne Welch, Manager

My name is Leanne Welch and I’d like to wel-

come you to the Manager’s Corner. By the time you are reading this, I will have completed

my first two months as manager of Gumbo Limbo and I couldn’t be happier! Though I am

a brand new employee, I have been a Member of Friends of Gumbo Limbo, a Volunteer, and an excited guest here for many years. I have

been a resident of southeast Florida for 26 years and have worked for both Miami Dade

County and Palm Beach County. In that time

I have specialized in coral reef ecosystems, seagrass habitats, beaches, and dunes. I have

also worked to study and protect manatees, sea turtles, and fish populations off of our

coast. Coming to Gumbo Limbo allows me to use my experience and knowledge and couple

it with my interest in conservation and endan-gered species management, and my desire to educate and inspire others to help make a dif-

ference. The next time you are in the nature center, please stop in to introduce yourself and

let me know how I can make your experience at Gumbo Limbo even better. You can always

e-mail me at LWelch@myboca.us.

I’m not the only new face around here, though.

Here at Gumbo Limbo we have two new Sci-ence Educators, Jeff Dobbs and Cole Reintsma,

and a new Exhibits Coordinator, Cory O’Mills. They are all great additions to our team and are already making some great improvements

to our school programs and exhibits.

I am so excited to announce that phase 1 of our boardwalk is finally complete! This is the section that connects Red Reef Park West to

the Nature Center, past pre-Colombian mid-dens and to the Intracoastal overlook. You’ll

find the new boardwalk to be a little higher off the ground, and the view to be much improved for our littlest visitors. I know that the board-

walk is a highlight for many of our guests, and we are so happy to have it opened again! The

next part of our boardwalk construction is in the permitting phase and this includes the

western section of the boardwalk over the

mangroves.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Bedner’s Farm Fresh Market for partnering with our sea turtle rehabilitation and animal hus-

bandry programs by donating much needed veggies for our turtles. Our sea turtles and go-

pher tortoises have been loving the green pep-pers, beans, and lettuce donated each week.

Having fresh healthy food is an important part of keeping our animals healthy and happy and we are so appreciative of Bedner’s contribu-

tions for our animals!

2017 will bring many exciting changes to Gum-bo Limbo and we want to make sure you don’t miss out on any of them! For example, our

Sea Turtle Day at Gumbo Limbo has grown so much that we had to make it a whole month!

That’s right – March 2017 will be “Sea Turtle Awareness Month” (STAM for short). We’ll have many exciting activities, lectures, and ex-

hibitors coming in March to help share the love of sea turtles with you.

Keep in touch with all the exciting happenings by checking our website and “liking” us on Fa-

cebook. However, the best way to stay “in the know” is to become a volunteer at Gumbo Lim-

bo. We have something for everyone, no mat-ter what you’d like to do. If you are reading

our newsletter, I know you already love Gumbo Limbo so why not make us part of your weekly (or even daily) routine? We need volunteers

for everything from greeting guests at the front doors, to assisting with nature walks, aquarium

care, feeding our animals, even watering our plants. Trust me, if you’d like to help out, we

can find something for you to do! Visit our website www.gumbolimbo.org/volunteers to find out about all the opportunities to be a part

of our Gumbo Limbo family.

Thanks for stopping by!

-Leanne

page 3

Artificial Reefs and Their Impact on South Florida By Annalise Wershoven, Marine Turtle Specialist

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center showcases many

of Southeast Florida’s unique ecosystems, in-cluding an up close view of an ecosystem typi-

cally only accessible with a boat and SCUBA equipment. Artificial reefs, exemplified through

our shipwreck tank, are an important man-made habitat in Florida waters, as they create new habitat near areas where the natural reef

has been damaged or destroyed.

Artificial reefs can be made out of a variety of environmentally safe materials, including con-crete rubble, old bridge structures, and decom-

missioned ships and boats. These reefs attract large schooling fish, like tarpon, jacks, and

lookdowns, and important marine life such as sharks, rays, and sea turtles, that congregate

on the reef to feed and rest. The first artificial reef permit on file in the state

of Florida is dated to November 1918. Since then, 34 out of 35 of the state’s coastal coun-

ties participate in the state’s artificial reef pro-gram in conjunction with Florida Fish and Wild-

life Conservation Commission, local county gov-ernments, and the federal government. Artifi-cial reefs benefit both Florida visitors and resi-

dents alike. They offer many recreation oppor-tunities in the form of fishing, boating, and

SCUBA diving, contributing to the state’s econ-omy and helping to promote the message of marine conservation.

If you’re looking to see some of the marine life

that can be found on one of these reefs, look no further than Gumbo Limbo’s shipwreck

aquarium, home to tropical fish, tarpon, cobia, and resident sea turtles. The environment

mimics that of a deep water shipwreck, show-casing a myriad of different fish species that would be found in the wild, just like you might

see on the Lady Luck, South Florida’s newest artificial reef. The Lady Luck, formerly a New

York barge called the Newtown Creek, rests in about 120 feet in water off of Pompano Beach after being sunk on July 23, 2016. It is acces-

sible by dive charter or private boat.

For those who aren’t looking to experience the artificial reef environment at that kind of depth,

the Blue Heron Bridge Snorkel Trail is repre-sentative of the many materials that can be used to make an artificial reef habitat. It offers

an amazing opportunity to see fish and inverte-brates just yards from shore, and the snorkel

trail includes a small sunken boat, concrete rubble, sunken shopping carts, and a brick

structure that provide homes for fish and ma-rine life. Blue Heron Bridge is located in West Palm Beach, and in 2013 was named the best

dive site in the world by Sport Diver magazine.

However, these recreation activities must be done in an environmentally sensitive manner in order to ensure the health of the reef for years

to come. Safe fishing, boating, and diving practices, such as obeying size and bag limits

on target fishing, proper disposal of hooks and fishing line, keeping hands and equipment

away from corals and marine life, and minimiz-ing anchor damage by anchoring boats off of the reef, help keep artificial reefs and their in-

habitants healthy and safe.

Whether you visit an artificial reef offshore or visit our shipwreck aquarium, the diversity and

importance of this type of habitat is over-whelming. Let’s continue to conserve Florida’s reef environments!

page 4

Photo by Ben Hicks

Research in the FAU Marine Biology Lab By Kirt Rusenko PhD, Marine Conservationist

Gumbo Limbo is one of the

few nature centers in the country where the public can

view an actual, functioning university research laboratory.

The Florida Atlantic University Marine Biology Lab (FAU Lab) has been an active marine bi-

ology research facility for more than 15 years. Today, the

building is utilized by four research labs from FAU, the preeminent lab being that of

Dr. Jeanette Wyneken.

Since 2002, Dr. Wyneken’s lab has studied the gender ratio of hatchling sea turtles from a

variety of beaches on the east coast, including Boca Raton’s beaches. The genders of sea tur-tle hatchlings (and many other reptiles) are de-

termined by the incubation temperature of the eggs in a nest. For sea turtles, warmer tem-

peratures result in females and cooler tempera-tures produce males (think “hot chicks, cool guys”). Ideally, a nest temperature of 84°F

degrees results in 50% male-female ratio. The study was initiated to get a baseline gender

ratio before increasing impacts from climate change threaten to alter the gender ratios.

To study the gender ratios, selected nests on the beach have data loggers installed in the

middle of the egg chamber by our Marine Tur-tle Specialists. The data loggers record tem-

peratures throughout incubation. As the nest nears hatching, a restraining cage is placed over the nest to contain the emerging hatch-

lings. When sea turtle hatchlings are found in the cage, they are taken to the FAU Lab where

10 are selected for the study and the rest are released from the beach in the evening. The

selected hatchlings are raised until they weigh four ounces. A small laparoscope is inserted into the body cavity to view the gonads so the

gender of the hatchling can be determined. Once completed, the hatchlings are soon

released from a boat many miles offshore into

the sargassum weed where

they belong.

From 2002 to 2011, there were 80-90% females identi-fied in the selected logger-

head hatchlings. In 2012 and 2013, the weather was very

wet and the percentage of fe-males dropped to nearly 70%

and 55% respectively. Stud-ies are presently underway to see if the moisture may have

an effect on gender outside of the temperature effect.

During these studies, additional information was learned from these sea turtle hatchlings.

In the first years, much was learned about husbandry for raising loggerhead, green, and

leatherback sea turtle hatchlings. Leatherback hatchlings were the most challenging to care

for, and now this lab is the only one in the world that routinely raises leatherback hatch-lings successfully.

Next time you visit Gumbo Limbo, stop by the

FAU Gallery. Dr. Wyneken’s students are often present and always happy to talk about their on-going projects. Depending on the time of

year, you may be able to see loggerhead, green, or even leatherback hatchings!

page 5

What’s in a Name: Gumbo Limbo by Cory O’Mills, Exhibits Coordinator

One of the first questions visitors tend to ask

as they walk into our nature center is: “Why are you called Gumbo Limbo?”

The easy an-swer is that we

are named af-ter a tree. The

Gumbo Limbo is among the

most common and flamboyant trees found in

the coastal hammock.

Growing wild and dense, the

twisted red limbs of the Gumbo Limbo are easy to spot as you walk along the newly renovated boardwalk.

These fast growing trees are perfectly adapted to the sometimes harsh coastal environment.

Meanwhile, the Gumbo Limbo’s fruits, flowers, and leaves play an important part in the ecolo-gy of the coastal hammock. They are a won-

derful example of resilience and adaptation, all of which contribute to what we consider a

strong and worthy namesake.

Yet we still have not addressed the bigger question: “Where does that name come from?”

Gumbo Limbo is certainly a silly sounding col-lection of words. The tree offers no ingredients

for stew, and while flexible, the Gumbo Limbo is not known to be a very good dancer. There has to be an interesting history behind such a

name, and surely enough there is!

Most historians agree that the origins of the phrase Gumbo Limbo are African, most likely

originating from nkômbô edimbu, a Bantu phrase which translates to “slave’s birdlime.” It is believed that slaves would collect and boil

the Gumbo Limbo’s resinous sap to create bird-lime, a glue-like substance that is applied to

tree branches to trap wild birds. The live birds

could then be collected and kept in cages until they were eventually traded or eaten.

Beyond making glue, the sap of the Gumbo

Limbo has some other interesting qualities. The Gumbo Limbo is a part of the Burseraceae family, known commonly as torchwoods. As

the name implies, the resinous wood and branches of the Gumbo Limbo work wonderful-

ly as firewood. As an added bonus, the smoke is sweetly scented. While not as popular as its cousins frankincense and myrrh, the Gumbo

Limbo is also sometimes called the Incense Tree for its aromatic qualities.

Perhaps the most interesting use is that the

Gumbo Limbo’s resin is a natural antidote to the different stinging members of the Anacardi-aceae family. Plants like Poison Oak, Poison

Ivy, Poisonwood, Brazilian Pepper and Poison Sumac are easy to stumble across as you

explore wild Florida. The leaves and bark of the Gumbo Limbo can be rubbed against the skin to prevent or sooth the hot rash caused by

these caustic plants – a nifty trick for those who spend a lot of time outdoors.

While we do not know exactly how, or to what

extent, the early slaves used the Gumbo Limbo, we can draw the conclusion that it must have been an important tree. There are very few

African words that have managed to work their way into the Eng-

lish language. Knowing that these

beautiful trees helped people sur-vive in some of

the harshest condi-tions imaginable,

only adds to the privilege it is to call ourselves

Gumbo Limbo.

page 6

Meet Our Veterinarian, Maria Chadam, DVM By Whitney Crowder, Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Coordinator

It is an honor

to highlight the contribu-

tions of our sea turtle vet-

erinarian, Dr. Maria Chadam,

someone that I have grown

to truly re-spect as an expert wildlife

veterinarian. I have never met someone with her level of expertise that respects the “wild” in

these creatures the way Dr. Chadam does. She is always mindful of the wild nature of

these animals as she addresses each new chal-lenge with every patient. Dr. Chadam thinks outside the box and applies creative, natural-

istic approaches to her medical practice. There is an elegance and art to her surgical tech-

niques and even in the most challenging emer-gencies, she never loses focus.

Many of you have likely never seen Dr. Chadam around Gumbo Limbo because most of the

work that our sea turtle veterinarian performs is behind the scenes. Dr. Chadam started out

volunteering her time at Gumbo Limbo in 2011. She had extensive veterinary experience with different species of reptiles and wanted to see

if she could apply her expertise to sea turtle medicine. Our sea turtle patients quickly cap-

tured her attention and she absolutely fell in love. Dr. Chadam was contracted by Friends of

Gumbo Limbo in 2012 and has since treated hundreds of sea turtles!

Dr. Chadam became a doctor of veterinary medicine in 1998 when she graduated from

Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine. After many years working in small animal practices,

she recently opened up her own mobile veteri-nary service so that she could visit clients and their pets in the privacy of their homes. She

feels that this creates a more intimate and

stress-free environment for the patients and their pet-owners.

As she incorporates different medicines in her diagnoses, she uses an organic approach to her

treatment methods. Dr. Chadam frequently chooses the least invasive treatment methods

to minimize stress on our patients and promote a speedy recovery. In wound care, she lets the

injury guide her, applying gentle treatments including skin bandages instead of foreign ma-terials (gauze, bandages, etc.) to allow the nat-

ural salt water to heal the wounds. She also encourages the application of raw honey, as

well as the use of other human grade natural supplements. This quality is also what makes

her such a treasure to our sea turtles.

When asked what the hardest part was about

her job at Gumbo Limbo, she replied, “Making decisions about sick and dying turtles is defi-

nitely the hardest. Diagnosing sick animals can be tricky, but it is also one of the most fasci-nating aspects of my job. Animals have very

little ability to tell you if and where it hurts so you have to use many different interconnecting

pieces of the diagnosis to get answers.” I have had the honor of working alongside of Dr.

Chadam for four years and I must say that the sea turtle patients in our rehab facility are in-credibly fortunate to have such a skilled and

caring veterinarian on their side!

page 7

Nature Program Information and Listing

page 8

A Walk on the Ashley Trail

Join us for a FREE guided walk along the Ash-ley Trail, a quarter-mile natural trail that winds

through the Butterfly Garden, Coastal Ham-mock, and Mangroves, to a sandy beach by the

Intracoastal. Observe local flora and fauna as your naturalist guides you on this island explo-ration. No reservations required. Meet on the

Nature Center front porch. Ages: All ages; children under 18 must be ac-

companied by an adult.

Days & Time: Tuesdays and Wednesdays;

11:00 am-12:30 pm

Beach Treasures

Jingle shells? Kitten’s paw? Oh, what treasures you may find… sea beans, coral, shells and

more; see what the sea has left behind! Meet at the Center to learn about shells and sea life; caravan to Red Reef Beach Park for beach-

combing with the experts! Ages: All ages; children under 18 must sign-up

and participate with an adult.

Dates & Time: Wednesdays; Jan 4, Jan 18,

Feb 8, Feb 22, Mar 8, Mar 22, Apr 5, Apr 19; 3:30-5:00 pm

Cost per person: Member $5, Non-member $8

Eco-Watch Lecture Series: Get on the En-

vironmental Cutting Edge Are you interested in learning about the natural

world around us? Attend our lecture series for a presentation by a guest scientist, researcher, or other expert. Please visit

www.gumbolimbo.org for a list of speakers and

to reserve your seat. Meet in Gumbo Limbo’s

classroom. Ages: Recommended for ages 14 & up. Chil-

dren under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Dates & Time: Wednesdays; Jan 11, Jan 25,

Feb 1, Feb 8, Feb 22, Mar 1, Mar 8, Mar 22; 7:00-8:30 pm

Cost per person: $5 donation

Great American Clean-Up Join Gumbo Limbo and millions across America

for the nation’s largest community service pro-gram! Get involved by signing up for a beach or mangrove clean up. Event t-shirts (limited

supply) and supplies provided by Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful, Inc. sponsors. Com-

munity service hours awarded, groups wel-come. Space is limited. Reservations required (561) 544-8615 or at www.gumbolimbo.org. Ages: All ages. Children under 18 MUST partic-

ipate with an adult; no drop offs.

Date & Time: Saturday, Apr 15; 8:00-11:00am

Little Wonders Join us for stories, laughter, and fun as we

learn about everything under the sun! Gumbo Limbo, a great place to explore; aquariums, trails, gardens, and more! Make a craft, meet

an animal, take in the scene; come back every month for a brand-new theme! Ages: Ages 3-4 with an adult; please do not

bring younger or older siblings.

Dates & Time: Saturdays; Jan 7, Feb 4, Mar 4,

Apr 1; 10:00-11:00 am

Cost per child: Member $5, Non-member $8

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Nature Program Information and Listing

page 13

FREE DAILY AQUARIUM FEEDING

What is the connection between mangrove and

coral reef communities? How do fish use these habitats? Learn about the fascinating behav-

iors of tropical fish, sting rays, and other marine life during these FREE daily feeding presentations. No

reservations required. Meet at the outdoor aquariums. Ages: All ages; children under 18

must be accompanied by an adult. Days & Time: Daily at 1:00 pm

Nature Detectives

“Why is the sky blue? Why are plants green? What’s inside an egg? What does it all mean?”

There is no end to a child’s questions! Become a Nature Detective with your novice naturalist

as we investigate the mysteries of the world around us. Join us for a brand-new mystery each month. Ages: Ages 5-7 with an adult; please do not

bring younger or older siblings.

Dates & Time: Saturdays; Jan 7, Feb 4, Mar 4,

Apr 1; 11:30 am-12:30 pm

Cost per child: Member $5, Non-member $8

Sea Turtle Awareness Month

In order to reach more people about sea turtle conservation,

we will be celebrating sea turtle awareness all month (March

2017)! Please visit to learn about South Flori-da’s sea turtles; learn about the species that nest here and visit our patients in the Sea Tur-

tle Rehabilitation Facility. Children can partici-pate in a passport activity and become a STAR

(Sea Turtle Awareness Ranger)! After visiting the stations, children 12 and under will receive

a special STAR prize (while supplies last). Join us during regular business hours, every day from March 1-March 31!

Seining the Lagoon

Wading in the Intracoastal Waterway just be-hind Gumbo Limbo, we catch (and release)

fish, shrimp, crabs, and more! With hand-held dip nets and large seine nets, get up close and personal with our local marine life. Closed-toe

shoes required (old sneakers or water shoes; no sandals). Bring a change of clothes and

towel, as participants will get wet! Ages: Ages 10-adult; children under 18 must

sign-up and participate with an adult.

Dates & Time: Saturdays; Jan 14, Jan 28, Feb

11, Feb 25, Mar 11, Mar 25, Apr 8, Apr 22;

3:00-4:30 pm

Cost per person: Member $7, Non-member

$10

Spring Break Sea Turtle Camp

Through games, crafts, and educational activi-ties, our instructors will teach your young con-

servationist about the importance of caring for and protecting sea turtles and other marine

life. Campers will experience close encounters with our resident sea turtles and visit a local nesting beach. Ages: 1st-3rd graders.

Dates & Time: Monday-Friday, Mar 20-24;

8:30 am-Noon

Cost per child: Member $155 (Family Member-

ship or higher required); Non-member $205 (includes 1-year Family Membership to Friends of Gumbo Limbo)

Wetlands & Wildlife

Wakodahatchee is a man-made wetland that has become a favorite for birders and photog-

raphers. Bring your binoculars and join us for a FREE ¾ mile guided boardwalk tour to learn more about Florida’s wetland birds and ecosys-

tems. Meet our Gumbo Limbo Naturalist at the Wakodahatchee boardwalk (call 561-544-8615

for directions). Ages: Ages 7-adult; children under 18 must

sign-up and participate with an adult.

Dates & Time: Fridays; Jan 6, Feb 3, Mar 3,

Apr 7; 8:30-10:30 am

Dates & Time: Fridays; Jan 20, Feb 17, Mar

17, Apr 21; 3:00-5:00 pm

Friends of Gumbo Limbo Events and Programs

page 14

Guest Lecturer: John Englander Friends of Gumbo Limbo invites you to attend a presentation by our 2016 CRESTTTM recipient, John Englander, on how the melting of global ice sheets

will dramatically transform our world. Oceanographer, author, and sea level rise expert, John Englander will explain the latest science, impending impacts,

and potential solutions to rising sea levels. Free to all. No reservations required. When: Monday, January 30 at 7:00 pm

Where: South County Civic Center, 16700 Jog Road, Delray Beach

Scholarship Application Deadline - February 10 The Gordon J Gilbert merit-based scholarship and research grants award $2,500 to high school

seniors and graduate students who plan to continue their education in a marine-related major that ties into our Mission. The Charles N. Kurucz need-based scholarship awards a high school recipient with $2,500 to use during their freshman year, and grants eligibility for $2,500 in their sophomore

year of college if criteria are met. Share with high school seniors and graduate students today! For conditions and to apply, go to www.gumbolimbo.org/scholarship.

Sea Coast Toast Join us for our 8th annual Sea Coast Toast fundraiser! With a change of venue, music, food and drink options, this Sea Coast Toast is poised to be the greatest one to date. You do not want

to miss the most fun way to support Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. Tickets available at www.gumbolimbo.org/seacoasttoast. When: Saturday, February 18 at 6:00 pm Where: Boca Country Club

Lecture: Dr. Kirt Rusenko, "Light Pollution: Effects on Sea Turtles & You" Florida Atlantic University's Frontiers in Science is hosted by the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science each Spring. A very popular and long running public lecture series that brings renowned

speakers from around the world and presents them at no cost. We are proud that Gumbo Limbo's own Dr. Rusenko will be hosting a presentation on Light Pollution. When: Friday, March 31 at 3:30 pm Where: Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton Campus, College of Business, BU 120, Complimentary Parking in Lot 7

Gumbo Limbo 10K The Gumbo Limbo 10K run will return in 2017, coming back bigger and better than ever! We will have further details on our website and social media for all interested. Stay tuned for information

on the race, registration, and event! Information will be available soon at www.gumbolimbo.org/gumbolimbo10k. When: Sunday, April 9

Where: Spanish River Park, 3001 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton

Winter marks the return of

one of Florida’s most endear-ing mammals, the West Indian

manatee. Because of its popu-larity and endangered status,

the manatee was designated as Florida’s state marine mam-mal in 1975. These unusual

creatures are most closely related to elephants, with a

similar gray coloration, sparse body hair, and even a prehensile upper lip, which is able to grasp food! They have short

front flippers and a wide, flat tail that they use to reach bursts of speed of up to 20 mph.

They average about ten feet long and can weigh 800-1200 pounds when fully grown.

Florida manatees live in fresh, salt, and brackish waters of shallow rivers, bays, estuar-

ies, springs, and canals as well as in the open ocean. Manatees surface for a noisy breath

of air, from every 20 minutes to every 30 sec-onds, depending on the level of energy they are using. They spend most of their time graz-

ing, traveling, or resting on or near the sandy bottom. During the warmer months, these

gentle herbivores have been known to travel in coastal waters as far north as Massachusetts

on the East Coast, and west to Texas on the Gulf Coast, feeding on both fresh and salt wa-ter aquatic plants. Manatees need warm water

year round in order to survive, so as the north-ern waters begin to cool in the fall, the mana-

tees begin their yearly trek back to Florida.

Unfortunately, every year, many manatees lose

their lives during their southerly migration, due to human-caused fatalities like habitat loss and

boat-strike deaths. It is up to us to do our part to help keep manatees safe.

So you may be wondering, “What can I do?” If you have a boat, be sure to slow down in

those manatee protection areas with the bright orange and white signs. Boat strikes are the

most prevalent cause of human-related mana-

tee deaths. Don’t feed or

touch manatees; that encour-ages them to become less cau-

tious around people (and their boats). Join an organization

that supports manatee protec-tion, and , if your car is regis-tered in Florida, purchase a

Save the Manatee specialty license plate to help fund pro-

tection efforts.

Over forty years of research, protection, and

education have resulted in some good news for the manatee, however - their numbers are

reported to be rising, so much so, that the fed-eral status of the West Indian manatee is pro-

posed to be downgraded from Endangered to Threatened this year. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the downgrading should

not change the level of protection the mana-tees receive through federal regulations.

However, this proposal has concerned manatee conservation scientists, who wonder if the action may be premature. One thing we can

all do is stay informed. Learn as much as pos-sible about these amazing animals, and the

legislation that protects them. We are their best prospect for a safe future.

If you have never seen manatees in the wild, you can visit known manatee “gathering spots”

this winter, many of which can be found near your local coastal power plants (warm water

discharged by the power plants often attracts “herds” of manatees, especially during cold snaps). Newly opened Manatee Lagoon at the

FPL Plant in West Palm Beach has an education center, where you can learn about, as well as

observe manatees.

For additional information about manatees

and how to help, go to myfwc.com/manatee.

Return of the Manatee By Susan Elliott, Environmental Program Coordinator

page 15

Photo by FWC

Goliath Grouper By Cole Reintsma, Science Educator

With the name

Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus itajara), you can guess at least

one thing about this fish without ever having

seen one…they are giants!

Imagine a fish the size of your sofa and you

will have the right idea. This

massive mem-ber of the family Serranidae, (which includes

sea basses and nearly 450 species of grouper), can grow over eight feet long and weigh close to 900 pounds. Unfortunately, their large size

has not protected them from their primary predator, humans.

Historically, goliath grouper had a very wide

geographical range. They could be found in warmer Atlantic and Pacific waters of both north and south America and along western

Africa. However, due to fishing pressure, their numbers decreased in many regions and they

have become locally extinct in some areas.

There are several factors that make goliath

grouper particularly susceptible to over-fishing. While they are very long-lived, (30-50 years),

they are slow growing and they do not repro-duce quickly. Goliath groupers exhibit a behav-

ior called protogynous hermaphroditism. This means that all individuals start out as females, and the largest fish in a group will transform

into a male. That fish protects the group, and mates with the females. When that fish dies,

the new largest female will switch genders and take over the role. This slows reproduction be-

cause if the one male is killed, no breeding can happen until a female makes the transition.

page 16

Fortunately, in

1990, fishery councils for the

Gulf of Mexico, Southeastern

Atlantic, and Caribbean and the coastal

states, including Florida, imposed

a complete mor-atorium on fish-ing and the pos-

session of goli-ath grouper.

Since then, Goli-ath grouper numbers have grown in South Flori-

da, with large aggregations on our natural and artificial reefs (especially sunken ships). Can you imagine seeing 50 sofa-sized fish swimming

around a sunken ship? Divers from around the world come to Florida to witness this spectacu-

lar scene for themselves. This brings tourism dollars into our local economy.

For now, goliath groupers remain totally protect-ed from harvest in Florida, in both state and

federal waters. If you catch one, it must be immediately released unharmed. Large group-

ers must be left in the water to prevent internal damage (their skeletons cannot support them out of water). Pictures can only be taken if it

does not slow the release in any way.

By keeping them protected, hopefully their numbers will continue to grow. Through moni-

toring of the goliath grouper population and continuing to learn about their life history pat-terns, we can learn how to manage any future

harvest of them without depleting populations beyond recovery. When we combine science

and caring, we can preserve magnificent crea-tures like the goliath grouper for future genera-

tions to be awed by.

Depends on how you look at it.

At the end of sea turtle nesting season, nest

monitors across the state tally their numbers and report the totals to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Nest totals,

hatch success, and other important information are shared and discussed during off-season

meetings, conferences, and workshops, and compared to previous years to analyze short

and long-term patterns and trends. Nesting totals along the five miles of beach in Boca Ra-ton usually reflect regional and statewide

trends, and the 2016 sea turtle nesting season was no different. The total number of nests,

however, may not tell the whole story. So, was it a good year or bad year?

The good news: it was a successful nesting season in Boca Raton concerning total nests

laid. There were 785 nests counted (729 log-gerhead nests, 38 green nests, and 18 leather-

back nests). The loggerhead total is near what was expected, maintaining an upward statewide trend since 2009 when record lows

were seen. And 18 leatherback nests is right on par with recent years, considering Boca Ra-

ton is on the southern edge of this critically en-dangered species’ nesting habitat. Greens fol-low an “every other year” nesting pattern, so it

was of no surprise that 2016 was a low year of only 38 nests. A high year is expected in 2017.

The bad news: the number of eggs that

hatched and the number of hatchlings that emerged from the nests was extremely low.

Of approximately 71,640 eggs laid on Boca’s

beaches, only 30,356 (42%) hatched and only 26,934 (37%) hatchlings emerged from the

nest. Previous data show the mean hatch suc-cess and mean emergence success rates have

been declining sharply over the last few years from around 80% in 2012. This is not good news for a species in which it is estimated that

only one in several thousand hatchlings survive to adulthood.

Why was the hatch success rate so low? One possible reason is the hot and dry summers we

have been experiencing. Each month of the summer broke the records of the previous

month and previous summer as being the hot-test on record. Sea turtle eggs are sensitive to

changes in temperature and this warming trend has taken its toll on the developing embryos inside the eggs. The thermal tolerance range

for incubating eggs is somewhere between 25°C (77°F) and 35°C (95°F), but some of the

nests that had temperature probes inserted among the eggs revealed temperatures ex-ceeding this range, sometimes as high 38°C

(100°F)! When these maximum temperatures are exceeded for any significant length of time,

the embryo will cease to develop, hence the high number of unhatched eggs (or dead em-

bryos) this season. In other words, the eggs literally cooked in the sand! It will be interest-ing to see what the 2017 nesting season

brings, and we hope for a cooler summer with greater rainfall.

page 17

2016 Sea Turtle Season: Good Year or Bad Year? By David Anderson, Marine Turtle Specialist II

2016

Boca Raton Sea Turtle

Nesting Totals

Leatherback Loggerhead Green

First Nest 3/24/16 4/26/16 5/30/16

Last Nest 6/21/16 8/24/16 8/28/16

False Crawls 1 1193 94

Total Nests 18 729 38

page 18

Gumbo Limbo Gift Shop

Dolphin Discovery: The tale of two very different dolphins.

The new addition to Sue Trew's series from Barbados.

Read the story of Dart the baby dolphin that has just been born. She will stay

close to her mother while she grows, learning the skills she needs to survive.

Join her as she discovers a mass of newly hatched dolphinfish. What happens when she gets lost in the vast ocean? Will Rain-

bow the dolphinfish be her friend?

Book $10.99 Matching Plush Dolphin $19.00

Dolphinfish $10.00

Wild Child Hoodies Wild Child hoodies has the animal to bring the

wild child out of your little one. Please enjoy our animals… we promise they won't bite!

Available in sea turtle or shark, sizes 2T, 4T, 6, 8. $25.00

Sand Art "You will experience magic, see beauty, get re-

laxed, awake your creativity, start philosophiz-ing" Klaus Bosch. Made in Austria. $34.00-

$500.00

Volunteer of the Quarter: July By Kristin Child, Environmental Program Coordinator

page 19

Gumbo Limbo’s Volunteer of the Quarter Program is designed to recognize those Volunteers who

go “Above and Beyond” their assigned/expected duties on a quarterly basis. These volunteers have made a significant contribution to Gumbo Limbo Nature Center through their dedication and service.

They have donated their time, talents, and energy, and share a common goal of inspiring genera-tions to learn and experience nature through observation and education. Volunteers are nominated

by Gumbo Limbo staff.

July-September 2016: Alice Perillo Started: December 2010 Life Total Hours: 1732.5 Positions worked: Welcome Desk Greeter

Alice is an enthusiastic Welcome Desk Greeter, and is a custom-er service representative. She strives to greet all visitors that come

the front door, even on the busiest days when the welcome desk is surrounded. If someone enters the nature she does not recognize from earlier, she will welcome them and ask if she has spo-

ken to them already. Alice not only works the Front Desk efficiently and cheerfully, she will do any extra work willingly, like folding maps

and restocking the brochure bins. Alice loves volunteering here; she especially loves seeing children with their families. She often fills in extra shifts when we are short.

Alice is a cheerful and dependable volunteer.

Congratulations Marine Turtle Specialists!

This past September, our Marine Turtle Specialist Team attended the West Palm Beach GIS Expo, a

convention that focuses on the practical applications of Geographic Information Systems technology. This is the technology that we use to map sea turtle

activity on Boca’s beaches. The MTS team has been attending since 2005, and this year, they en-

tered the analytical poster contest. Their poster, entitled “Lighting Impacts of A1A Viewing Corridors

on Sea Turtle Disorientations,” focuses on mapping the number of nests affected by headlights and sky-glow from the city lights inland, where dune vegeta-

tion has been cut back so that drivers can see the ocean. The MTS team took home first place in their

poster category! Great Job!

Rachel Bladow, Sydney Jimenez, David Anderson, Taylor Roe, Annalise Wershoven; Seated: Emily Mirowski,

Ali Courtemanche; Not pictured: Rebecca Mannen and Caidra Rice.

1801 North Ocean Blvd.

Boca Raton, FL 33432

Florida

Atlantic

University

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To pay by credit card, please visit our website, www.gumbolimbo.org. Click on the ‘Support Us’ tab.

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_____Individual - $25 _____Family - $50

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With your Membership or gift you help us promote coastal and marine education, conservation, and research today

and into the future. Your gift will be a lasting tribute to you, your family, and our community.

Friends of Gumbo Limbo is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

10% discount in the gift shop

First opportunity to make reserva-tions for the Turtle Walk and

Hatchling Release programs (limits apply)

Discounts on select programs

Support Nature Center operations, programs, and exhibits

Free or discounted admission to over 160 nature centers in the USA and Canada (www.natctr.org)