Our Upcoming Speaker
Note: Since October 2022, we have returned to in-person meetings at the Birmingham Zoo using a hybrid Zoom-In Person format with the in-person meeting at the Lodge at the Birmingham Zoo

Title: "A new leatherback marine turtle from the Oligocene of Alabama"

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Speaker: Drew Gentry, PhD, Alabama School of Math and Science​​​

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Abstract:

In the spring of 2021, a family from Mobile, AL was fishing along the banks of the Alabama River when they discovered a strange dome-shaped boulder that bore a striking resemblance to a giant turtle shell. Not knowing what they'd found, the family began using the boulder as a landmark during their regular fishing trips. More than a year later, they saw a news story about my research on a new species of fossil turtle from Alabama and decided to contact me to ask if I would be willing to come see their bizarre "turtle shell" boulder. During my first visit to the site, I was able to identify their find as the nearly complete carapace of a fossil leatherback sea turtle. Due to the unique mosaic structure of the leatherback shell, intact specimens are exceedingly rare, but the fossil was imbedded in a massive limestone boulder more than 10 feet wide and the location of the site made recovery especially challenging. The excavation and extraction of this fossil involved nearly a year of planning and required a collaboration between local, state, and federal organizations. During the summer of 2023, a team of more than a dozen dealt with severe thunderstorms, extreme heat, floods, and even swarms of bees in order to remove the fossil. My talk will focus on the story of this excavation and the ongoing study of this remarkable specimen.

About the Speaker: 

Dr. Drew Gentry grew up in Decatur, Alabama where, as a child, he developed a keen interest in the fossils that could be found along the creek banks of northern Alabama. That interest would grow into a lifelong fascination with ancient life. In the years that followed, Drew was part of paleontological expeditions across North America, but his focus remained on the fossils of Alabama and what they can teach us about the history of his home state. He received his BS in Biology from New Mexico State University, his MS in Biology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and his PhD in evolutionary biology at UAB. After joining the faculty of the Alabama School for Mathematics and Science, Drew has built a student-centered research program focused on the fossil marine vertebrates of Alabama that allows students to make actual scientific discoveries by participating in paleontological fieldwork and laboratory activities. His teaching philosophy is centered around experiential learning where students in the classroom are encouraged to actively participate in the learning process and develop important communication, team building, and leadership skills.

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