The Cheryl Mellenthin Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital and Educational Outreach Center    

A new sea turtle rehabilitation facility on the upper Texas coast is needed. The Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research at Texas A&M, Galveston campus, Texas A&M at Galveston, and the Texas A&M Foundation will construct a sea turtle rehabilitation hospital and educational outreach facility on its campus to fulfill this need. The facility will provide a number of services to the upper Texas coast sea turtle community, which include playing a significant role in in the Texas Sea Turtle Rescue, Recovery, and Rehabilitation of stranded sea turtles.

The facility is currently in its planning phase. At this stage of planning the facility will have two hospital wards, a veterinary clinic, resident turtle tanks, auditorium-presentation room, media room, numerous educational outreach exhibits and a gift shop.

The goal is to construct a rehabilitation facility with two separate biological life support systems that would enable a single hospital to rehabilitate sea turtles that are both negative and positive for the FP (Fibropapillomatosis, a tumor disease of sea turtles) virus.

To enable the new rehabilitation facility to be financially self-sustainable, the hospital will operate an educational outreach facility that will attract tourists and generate revenue to support the hospital and sea turtle conservation programs. Galveston is a vibrant resort city that attracts 8.1 million tourists to the island a year. We plan to generate ecotourism dollars to support our conservation efforts

Sea turtles will serve as "Ambassadors” to the marine environment of Galveston Bay and the Western Gulf of Mexico. Ambassador tanks outside of the hospital wards maintain non-release-able, but healthy turtles that visitors will be able to see often and up close. This will be the only place to do so on the upper Texas coast to view sea turtles.

A small veterinary clinical space will also have a “viewing gallery” window to allow visitors to observe turtles being examined by attending veterinarians, veterinarian students and interns.

To learn more about additional naming opportunities for the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital, contact the TAMUG Development Office at (409) 740-4446.

Potential Architectural Designs (Renderings)

Location View