Georgia DNR News Releases

1. 44 SEA TURTLE STRANDINGS MARK THIRD WORST WEEK IN 15-YEAR HISTORY
A near record 44 dead sea turtles were documented last week on Georgia beaches marking the third worst week in the 15-year reporting history. Another 25 sea turtles have been reported so far this week and wildlife biologists with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division fear the numbers may surge higher in the coming days. During the record year, 2002, 48 and 45 dead sea turtles were found in consecutive weeks.

2. NONGAME WILDLIFE EDUCATIONAL AND WATCHABLE WILDLIFE PROJECTS GET A HELPING HAND FROM WILDLIFE LICENSE PLATE SALES
Thirteen organizations throughout the state of Georgia will receive a helping hand from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) in support of their efforts to provide Georgians more opportunities to learn about and observe Georgia's native nongame wildlife. In it's sixth year, WRD's Nongame Wildlife Educational and Watchable Wildlife Projects Program received and reviewed a total of 32 proposals from all across the state and selected a total of 13 projects to receive funding. Funded by revenue generated through the sale of nongame wildlife license plates, the program awarded a total of $51,784 to the winning projects for 2004.

3. GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES REPORTS EXCELLENT WILDLIFE LICENSE PLATE SALES FOR FIRST QUARTER OF 2004
With first quarter tag sales tallied and reported, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) is encouraged by the number of wildlife license plates purchased throughout the state. From December 2003 to March 2004, more than 117,900 eagle tags and 51,100 bobwhite quail tags have been sold, helping to raise important revenue for their respective programs. If current trends continue, WRD will exceed their projections for the both the bald eagle and the bobwhite quail wildlife tags.

4. HELP GEORGIA'S EASTERN BLUEBIRDS FIND A HOME
With bluebird nesting season in high gear, Georgian's can help these brilliantly plumaged birds find the perfect home announces the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Wildlife Resources Division (WRD). These beloved birds have always charmed us with their tameness, cheerful song, beauty, and most of all, with their fondness for nesting boxes. Typically, bluebirds depend on naturally occurring cavities in snags for nesting, but due to a shortage in these cavities for all nesting bird species, bluebirds have become almost totally dependent on humans for their nesting sites.