Meet our 2022 Marine Science Education Intern Staff!
Maia Griffith was raised in Ventura County in Southern California where her parents instilled a love of the outdoors from an early age. She graduated in 2021 from University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Science in Conservation and Resource Studies. As an undergraduate, Maia spent her time playing ultimate frisbee, working in research […]
A Short History of the Old Seven Mile Bridge
With the reopening of the Old Seven Mile Bridge, we thought we would share some of the extensive history of the bridge and how it has evolved over time. The construction of the Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast Railway began in 1905 and was financed by Henry Flagler, a wealthy Standard Oil […]
Old 7 Mile Bridge Reopens to Public
The announcement five years in the making has finally arrived. The Old 7 Mile Bridge connecting the town of Marathon to Pigeon Key is officially open to the public! In the summer of 2016, the 2-mile span of bridge was shut down to pedestrians in anticipation of the $41 million rehabilitation project. This bridge is […]
Calling All Artists! New Pigeon Key Logo Contest
Pigeon Key is looking for a new logo and so we are reaching out to previous students, visitors, and anyone else in our community who might be interested in the chance to show off your art and design skills! We would like the new logo to represent Pigeon Key and our mission to protect the […]
Creature Feature: The Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Florida’s most common species of sea turtle is the Loggerhead (Caretta caretta), which is named for its exceptionally large head and powerful jaw muscles. The adult loggerhead has a heart-shaped, reddish-brown top shell (carapace) and a yellow bottom shell (plastron). Full grown Loggerheads in the southeastern United States weigh an average of 250 pounds and […]
Best Summer Camp of Marathon!
We were honored last month to be nominated as one of Marathon’s best summer camps for the 2021 Best of Marathon awards hosted by Keys Weekly newspapers. The Keys Weekly annual awards contest accepted online votes all month of September and the people have spoken. Pigeon Key Marine Science Center was chosen as the winner! […]
Planting Mangroves on Pigeon Key
This past July, Pigeon Key partnered with the organization MANG to bring juvenile mangroves to our shorelines. Around 1,000 red mangroves were planted with the help of volunteers and various local organizations. This project had been inspired by the founders of MANG, brothers Kyle and Keith Rossin, after they learned about the destruction of our […]
Power on Pigeon Key: Long Awaited Powerline Connects Island to Main Keys’ Electrical Grid
There has been a lot going on here at Pigeon Key over the last few months with one of the biggest developments being the island is now officially connected to the main power grid that runs throughout the Florida Keys. Pigeon Key is and will continue to be primarily powered through solar energy collected via […]
Meet the Staff: Chris Rowell
Chris Rowell has been with the Pigeon Key Foundation for 11 years and is the Operations Director. He ensures that things go smoothly out on the island across all domains including maintenance of the grounds and buildings, education, and historical tours. Chris has been integral in the success of Pigeon Key’s education programs and has […]
Meet the Staff: Callie Clarke
Callahan “Callie” Clarke is our Education Coordinator and has been with the Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center for three years. As a biologist, Callahan is essential when it comes to educating our visiting school groups on a wide variety of topics. She also plays a pivotal role behind the scenes with keeping our […]