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The Tybee Island Marine Science Center By Joy Davis - Photos by Wen McNally They walk in and hear the doorbell jingle; a friendly voice from behind the counter greets them and says, “Welcome to the Tybee Island Marine Science Center, if you are interested in our gallery there are four rooms of live exhibits representing coastal Georgia and many of our local species. There are monitors above the tanks that tell you all about what are in the tanks and there are pictures of animals below the tanks that are too big to be in the tanks. It’s a $5 admission and ages 4 and under are free. Please feel free to explore the gift shop. If you have any questions, there are marine science educators around that are available to answer.” People either lean in and listen intently to the spiel or shift around distractedly, trying to soak everything in at once, usually after peeking into the gallery; they dish out 5 dollars and enter. The first thing they encounter, walking into the coastal gallery, is a large plastic pillar filled with water, trash floating throughout its column, a marine debris display recognizing the deficit of the ocean’s health under the pressures of human practices. Hanging above that, an even more specific message, a clear plastic sphere filled with 30,000 cigarette butts, all from a day’s beach cleanup on the south end of Tybee. This is when it becomes clear that this pint-sized center is a voice for the ecosystems of coastal Georgia, it is small but mighty in its respect and stewardship for our local natural habitats. Farther in, the intimate gallery is decked out with amazing facts, habitats, artifacts and images. One gets to explore and observe the diversity of animals that lie underneath our murky coastal waters. Some come in more acquainted with their species; others are entering into an alien world, seeing them for the first time. 8 TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | SEPT 2017 This repurposed police station has been installed with 20+ tanks carrying over 2000 gallons of water that exhibit local fish species and other marine and maritime life. The local community plays an essential role at the science center. The animals and artifacts are collected from surrounding habitats and are donated from multiple sources, from local fisherman to concerned citizens. A collecting permit allows the science center to bring in local species and display them with the purpose of education. After a temporary stay at the center, the animals are released back into their natural habitats. Collection comes from the abundance of habitats interwoven around our small island; marsh, maritime forest, beach, tidal pools, jetties, ocean and some off shore excursions to represent the more biodiverse waters of Grays Reef. The clarity of the tanks really gives a better look into the individual marine communities and the relationships at play in these ecosystems. The heart of the center is its role in education. I can’t tell you how many times an educator has had the opportunity to introduce a newcomer to a horseshoe crab as a primordial creature that pre-dates the dinosaurs or explained that a sand dollar is a flattened sea urchin very closely related to sea star, as well as how to tell if it is dead or alive. Jellyfish, whelk snails, plankton, gills, gonads... Marine life has the adaptability to take on multitudes of functions, shapes and forms. The importance of us making these connections with other systems of life is essential in enriching our lives and preserving our planet and health. Whether local or visiting, the Tybee Island Marine Science Center is at the forefront in passing on these imperative lessons, reaching over 50,000 people a year through the gallery alone. This non-profit organization is supported mostly by gift shop sales


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