![]() ![]() ![]() Should they meet their goal soon, the facility could likely open in two to three years, Marshall estimated. It's not clear when exactly the center will start construction as staff members are still in the process of raising money to build it-they've raised $5 million so far. Pearland-area 55-bedroom house going for $3.5 million.How to buy Houston Astros Gold Rush jerseys, hats and other apparel.This $6.9 million Houston mid-century mansion has an underwater tunnel.Houston Rodeo's Grand Champion Steer sells for $550K to local developer.Houston comedian tells the perfect joke about driving in H-Town.University of Houston under fire following second on-campus death of 2023.Jose Altuve injury: Mauricio Dubon, David Hensley poised to fill void.Since the center is associated with Texas A&M, Marshall also hopes to recruit new students and retain students in collaboration with the Texas A&M main campus, which often has veterinary students come through for aquatic animal medicine rotations. "In fact, we have all three species in our hospital right now," he said. While the facility will serve any sea turtle species it can get, Marshall said, the center typically receives green sea turtles, Kemp's ridley sea turtles and loggerhead sea turtles. "We're going to have lots of research here too and they're also going to learn about marine conservation, coastal resiliency and life in coastal Texas." "They're going to come in and learn about sea turtle biology through the exhibits," he said, adding they will also get to learn about issues like marine pollution. Other features include a veterinary clinic, overnight facilities for caretakers, an auditorium presentation room, a media room and numerous outreach exhibits, as well as a gift shop. They'll also get to witness the sea turtle patients that have been rescued get treated inside two hospital wards. Texas A&M University at GalvestonĪt the new facility, which Marshall estimates will be up to 24,000 square feet, visitors will be able to see turtles in residence, which will serve as ambassadors for the species in the wild, up close through glass walls inside a gallery. "This is all being funded by state grants now, which will come to an end in about two or three years and so I've been tasked with finding a novel way of funding all of our programs and creating a bigger hospital," Marshall said.Ī rendering of the main entry to the proposed $20 million Upper Texas Sea Turtle Hospital. The new facility will quadruple the space the center needs to continue to serve the ever-expanding sea turtle population. "Their numbers, particularly sea turtles, are on the increase and their population is moving further north so we have more sea turtles in our area than ever before," Marshall said. Since opening in December 2020, the center has rescued over 275 sea turtles and that number is only expected to grow (stranded sea turtles can be helped by calling the hotline at1-86). However, the center- which works with the Houston Zoo for veterinary oversight-was always meant to be a temporary one, Marshall explained. ![]() Christopher Marshall, professor of biology at the university, described the future sea turtle rehabilitation center and educational outreach center at the campus as "the Smithsonian meets the Monterey Aquarium," in reference to the acclaimed Monterey Bay Aquarium in California.Ĭurrently, the research center's sea turtle hospital leads sea turtle rescue and recovery for turtles found nesting and stranded along the Gulf Coast, and sometimes even other parts of the country (they most recently received a group of Kemp's ridley sea turtles from Cape Cod). The people of Galveston and beyond will be able to get a little closer to the sea and its wondrous creatures thanks to a $20 million dollar facility in the works- The Gulf Center for Turtle Research-at the city's Texas A&M campus. Theresa Morris, the rehabilitation hospital manager at Texas A&Mat Galveston's Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research, offers a shrimp to a rescued loggerhead sea turtle at the center's hospital. ![]()
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