Staff Spotlight, Ed Perry
Park Ranger, Ed Perry
Sebastian Inlet State Park
“A couple weeks ago me and a couple other rangers noticed a sea turtle crawling up the beach.” Ed Perry excitedly told his story, “It was a Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle, one of the most endangered species of sea turtles in the world.” A moment like this would be incredible for a park visitor, but many people would think that after 29 years of working at Sebastian Inlet State park, Ed would have seen it all by now. But even after all this time, in his own words, “those moments are what make this job exciting to come to every day.”
Ed Perry’s journey as a Park Service Specialist has been one full of adventures, surprises and new experiences. “I always loved Sebastian Inlet, right when I graduated college I knew that’s where I wanted to be.” Ed spends a lot of time around the Inlet, even when he’s not working he enjoys fishing and taking incredible wildlife photos. “The inlet just has so much beauty, there’s nothing like the coast. Water and land coming together, there’s no way to describe it, you just have to be there.”
Although Ed loves to relax in the sun, the life of a Park Service Specialist can be hectic. “I have my hands in a lot around here,” he explained, “I help manage the Treasure Coast Museum, I co-manage about 250 volunteers, I help monitor and collect sea turtle nesting data, I do a weekly ‘Walk with a Ranger’ Program.” Needless to say, he stays busy, but that doesn’t stop him from enjoying his work.