JEKYLL ISLAND — As coastal Georgia begins to welcome warmer weather, it is also time to welcome a special annual visitor to Jekyll Island — the sea turtle. Nesting season begins mid-May and continues through August and hundreds of these sea creatures will come home to nest on Jekyll Island’s sprawling beaches.

Jekyll Island is home to the internationally acclaimed Georgia Sea Turtle Center, which is funded by the Jekyll Island Authority and encourages sea-turtle education and preservation through activities and programs. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is dedicated to monitoring the turtles during nesting season and protecting both the turtles and their nests.

Beginning in early spring, Jekyll Island will celebrate sea turtles with a variety of activities and programs to educate kids and their families on this endangered species. The activities are modestly priced, and many are free and open to the public.

The sea turtle season kick-starts with Shell-e-brate Earth Day on Saturday, April 17, at the center followed by a weeklong Nest Fest celebration starting May 10 and the Turtle Crawl Triathlon on May 15.

For more information, call 912-635-4444.