Enjoy a local beer and learn how scientists care for Florida’s sea turtles amid the effects of red tide.
The Florida Museum of Natural History and the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute are hosting the yearly Science on Tap: Sea Turtles and Red Tide event at First Magnitude Brewing Company, at 1220 SE Veitch St., from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 25.
The event will have special guest, Justin Perrault, director of research at Loggerhead Marinelife Center.
Perrault said he has worked with sea turtles for 13 years and published papers on red tide, toxicology and marine life health.
He said the goal is to talk about red tide and how it affects Florida’s sea turtles. Turtles can become lethargic, have twitching fits and other health problems.
Stranding — when a sea turtle finds itself stranded ashore — is one of the biggest problems that sea turtles face from red tide, Perrault said.
“Everyone’s blaming the government for the red tide’s effects, but that’s not the case,” Perrault said.
Perrault is looking forward to an active discussion with the audience where everyone can share their thoughts and opinions freely.
The purpose of this event is to have a casual conversation with a scientist in an informal environment, said Rebecca Burton, communications manager at the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute.
Other local organizations will be participating in the event such as the Loggerhead Marinelife Center and other similar nonprofit organizations dedicated to Florida’s ocean and marine life conservation.
There will also be food trucks, according to Burton.
Perrault will start the audience discussion at 7 p.m. and it will last an hour.
