Marine biologist Hayley DiGiano met us at the Guana Tolomato Mantanzas National Research Reserve. We hiked the yellow trail to the Tolomato River and watched the tiny ghost crabs scramble across the sand. We also explored the exhibits at the education center. We got to see a life size model of the Right Whale, a species brought near to extinction. A telescope mounted on the deck provided a view of a Bald Eagle nest in the tall trees on the other side of the Guana River. Hayley is a Natural Resources Intern with AmeriCorp Service at Naval Station Mayport. She brought skeletal remains from some of the species she studies. We learned that sea turtles are sometimes marked by transposing small pieces from the top and bottom of the shell. Even when marked at an early age and found years later, these marks are still visible and assist researchers with identification and tracking.
