Say Boo! to Halloween with everything from ghostly hauntings to pumpkin-inspired meals and cocktails. A not too scary place to start is at “Halloween in the Hammock” at The Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton on Oct. 22. Take a mysterious (but not frightening) stroll through the hammock where visitors have the opportunity to find spiders, snakes, ancient shell middens and maybe other surprises the hammock has hidden. There’s also an hour-long nighttime nature walk with ghostly guides and ghouls. Walks will depart every half hour from 6:30-9 pm. For age 6 to adult, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Advance: $7 for members, $10 for non-members. Walk-ins (if available): $15 per person. Reservations and pre-payment requested at least three days in advance; space is limited. See www.gumbolimbo.org. On Oct 28, Trick ’Em Treat ’Em Costume

By David Fleshler 10:59 a.m. EDT, August 26, 2011 Young sea turtles beached by Hurricane Irene may need some help. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says the storm may have tossed them from the mats of seaweed that serve as their home when they first enter the ocean. The commission issued a news release Friday giving advice on what to do if you see one on shore that is obviously stranded: -Put the turtle on a damp cloth in a small container, cover it and keep it in the shade, but not in air conditioning. Don’t put it into water. Don't crowd several turtles in one container. -Although it is illegal to possess them without a permit, it is acceptable during the emergency to carry them directly to a local marine facility, including the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton, the Loggerhead Marine Life Center in Juno Beach and the Miami Seaquarium.

The south-eastern coast of Florida is called the “Gold Coast”. But many marine biologists call it “Turtle Coast”. This is the coastal region where five species of marine turtles lay their eggs: the green turtle, the hawksbill turtle, the endangered leatherback turtle, the rare Kemp’s Ridley and 80% of all loggerhead turtles in Florida. From March till October the street lights are dimmed, so the hatchlings that emerge from the eggs in the sand will not be distracted by the lights of civilization, but instead head for their destination: the horizon of the open sea, where it is slightly lighter than on the beach. Any light on the shores would guide them into the wrong direction. A marked turtle nesting site. When Save Our Seas Foundation CEOs Peter Verhoog and Georgina Wiersma visited the Florida coast, they were pleasantly surprised by the yellow street signs that explained to the public why the street lights are dimmed. On the beach, all found nests are marked with yellow tap

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- More than four thousand sea turtles went into shock in Florida during a two week cold spell last winter. Nearly 200 of those turtles spent time at Gumbo Limbo's new rehabilitation facility in Boca Raton. While many of the endangered reptiles were released back into the water, others remain at the facility being treated for tumors. More than 100 sea turtles that came to Gumbo Limbo's new rehab center have fibropapilloma tumors, a disease likely caused by a virus. So far 45 turtles have undergone the surgery thanks to a partnership between the Zoo, Gumbo Limbo and The National Save the Sea Turtle Foundation which recently donated the new laser. While it is still unclear what causes the tumors, most of the infected turtles come from polluted waters. Gumbo Limbo Nature Center is one of only four sea turtle rehab facilities in Florida that treats turtles with fibropapilloma, and the since it opened last January, the center has been full. After the surg