SEE Turtles

Happy ! Dogs have been helping humans for millions of years with all kinds of jobs, from herding our livestock to protecting our soldiers on the battlefield, but did you know that some dogs also protect sea turtles' nests?

Scent-detection dogs of all shapes and sizes can be trained to find the scent of a female turtle’s cloacal mucus (the gooey substance that lubricates eggs to allow them to slip out of the cloaca), showing their human handlers where sea turtles laid their eggs the night before, and making sure that every nest is marked and monitored.

To learn more about some of these turtle-saving canines, watch this video about Life Turtlenest , a project that protects loggerheads in Italy, France, and Spain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1hgS9hCxTM

The United States finally has a national strategy to combat plastic pollution! This new policy includes a call for extended producer responsibility (which makes companies liable for the waste of their products), a national standard for measuring microplastics, ways for the US government to reduce the waste it creates, and more.

This just a first step and there is a long way to go to solving this problem and a lot of areas that this strategy does not cover, but we applaud this start.

Learn more about this here:

US has its first national strategy to reduce plastic pollution − here are 3 strong points and a key issue to watch Better measuring standards, more responsibility for producers and an end to single-use products are all positive steps. But the US has not yet endorsed a cap on plastic production.

Sea turtles face serious threats from illegal hunting, plastic pollution, and climate change. But together, we can make a difference. Your donation will be used where the need is greatest, but if you want it to go towards a specific program, just let us know after you’ve made your donation online! Some of our current initiatives include:

🐢 Billion Baby Turtles: We’ve saved over 10 million hatchlings so far, and every $1 you donate saves 10 more!

🛑 Too Rare To Wear: We’re working to end the illegal trade in critically endangered hawksbill turtleshell (tortoiseshell) products.

🌎 Sea Turtles & Plastic: We’re cleaning up turtle habitats and turning plastic waste into products that support conservation and local communities.

Learn how to make a crypto or NFT donation to save sea turtles at the live link in our bio!

SEE Turtles is a 501(c)(3) non-profit—your donations are tax-deductible. Join us in protecting these gentle giants and making a positive impact on our oceans. 🌊✨

Florida friends! Our friends at Sea Turtle Conservancy are sharing this urgent notice about an effort to develop state parks.

Please attend a meeting if you are able or sign the petition below. This change would be a disaster for the state's natural areas.

We need your help to prevent Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) from adding harmful development to our State conservation lands!
On August 19, DEP announced a that it was planning to make major changes to the management plans of nine State Parks across Florida to allow for the construction of multiple 9- and 18-hole golf courses, lodges with up to 350 rooms, pickleball courts, disc golf courts, and new cabins on State conservation land. Many of these features would be built in fragile habitat that supports a variety of important plant and animal species, including sea turtles.

On August 20, DEP announced, with a week’s notice, that public meetings about each of these developments will take place at the affected State Parks. Each meeting is scheduled to last for one hour, and all are occurring at the same time – 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on August 27. While the details are still vague, each public meeting will consist of a presentation and a public comment period. If you are able, we are encouraging our Florida followers to attend and speak out at these meetings to ensure that DEP and State leadership knows that Floridians do not want our natural spaces to be developed.

If you cannot attend in person, our friends at Florida Wildlife Federation are circulating an online petition here: https://floridawildlifefederation.org/action-state-parks-threat

We're thrilled to be working with LunchBots to support plastic cleanup and recycling at important turtle habitats around the world! Their support is helping coastal communities deal with the plastic waste that washes ashore on sea turtle nesting beaches, a huge and growing problem.

Their products are fun and help reduce plastic waste. Get 10% off your next order by signing up for their email list, just in time for back to school!

Check out their full line of products here: https://lunchbots.com/

Why don’t conservation groups keep hatchlings until they are bigger to release?

We get this question a lot and it’s understandable since the survival rate of hatchlings is very low (some estimates say 1 out of 1,000 hatchlings grow to be adults). But most conservation organizations do not do this practice (called headstarting) as it is neither practical nor the way to restore turtle populations.

What are some of the problems with headstarting?

It’s expensive: Raising hatchlings costs a lot of money, in tanks, equipment, food, and staff. Most nesting beach conservation projects run on tiny budgets, making this impossible for most.

It’s hard to do: Raising healthy hatchlings in captivity is difficult and releasing unhealthy turtles can transmit diseases or result in impacting their gene pool.

It’s not necessary: Low hatchling survival is not a human-caused problem, it’s nature! Sea turtles lay thousands of eggs over their lifetimes because of that low survival. If many more hatchlings grew to adulthood, there would eventually be an overpopulation of turtles.

Conservation programs that focus on getting hatchlings into the water are working.
Many nesting beaches are seeing increased nesting due to decades of conservation!

Photo: Hal Brindley

Our 2025 Costa Rica Leatherback trip is now live! Join us to work with these amazing giants, helping collect data while they are nesting and releasing newly born hatchlings. Sign up now to save your spot, this is one of our most popular trips and likely to fill.

Learn more or register here: www.seeturtles.org/costa-rica-leatherback-turtle-volunteer-trip

Have you check out our video series? We have fun shorts on the different species, turtle rescues, & more!

Watch them here: https://seaturtleweek.com/videoseries

Did you know there are great ways to reduce the plastic you create while traveling?

Check out our Against Plastic (TAP) tips for plastic-free travel to reduce the burden of waste collection on tourist destinations.

Did you know we have an exclusive club for people who want to be conservation champions? Our Turtle Club is for monthly donors at $10 or more and the funds go to our most urgent conservation needs. Club members get fun stuff like discounts on our trips and from our sponsors as well as free gifts!

Sign up today to be part of this exclusive group of sea turtle heroes: https://www.seeturtles.org/turtleclub

More and more turtles are getting cold-stunned and stranded along the New England coast, hundreds of turtles per year. It also happens across the US East Coast and Gulf of Mexico.

Cold stunning happens when ocean temperatures drop below 50 degree F, causing the turtles to become lethargic and wash ashore.

US Congress is considering passing legislation that will provide funding for these rescue efforts to help rescue these turtles and prevent unnecessary deaths.

Learn more:

Sea turtles strandings have increased dramatically. Congress might create a fund to bail them out Sea turtle strandings have ticked up at an alarming rate in New England, but now the reptiles are close to receiving a lifeline from Congress to help them stay in the water.

Every time you wash your dishes with Pure Joy, you’re not just getting a powerful, plant-based clean—you’re also helping to save a sea turtle! 🐢💚 For every bottle sold, Pure Joy donates to SEE Turtles’ Billion Baby Turtles program, ensuring sea turtles continue to delight beachgoers and ocean explorers for generations to come.

🌱 Natural Ingredients: Enjoy naturally refreshing scents, all from plant-based ingredients that are tough on grease but gentle on the planet.

♻️ Eco-Friendly: From the bottle to the ingredients, Pure Joy is designed with sustainability in mind.

Join us in making every dishwashing moment a step toward a cleaner kitchen and a healthier planet for people and sea turtles alike! Try your first bottle today: https://www.purejoyclean.com/! 🌍💦

Pure Joy

There are only 4 spots left for our upcoming trip to Colola, Mexico, now home to more nesting East Pacific green sea turtles (also known as the “Pacific black turtle”) than any time in recorded history!

This population of green sea turtles was almost completely extinct in the 1960s, and even the late, great sea turtle scientist Dr. Archie Carr didn’t think they had much of a chance at surviving to the next century.

But after decades of tireless work by the Nahua indigenous community and Mexican and American scientists, students, and volunteers, the black turtle is back!

To witness this conservation success story for yourself, book your 2025 trip to Colola today: https://www.seeturtles.org/colola!

Photo: Juan Ma Contortrix - please do not reproduce without permission.

BREAKING NEWS! 🐋 An entangled humpback whale off the coast of Southern California has been freed from its ropes thanks to the heroic efforts of a NOAA Fisheries-led response team! This resilient whale endured six days being bound by nylon ropes and plastic buoys - a sad reminder of how dangerous floating ocean plastics can be for protected species like whales, birds, and sea turtles.

After numerous attempts, the team successfully cut the twisted blue ropes from the whale’s tail fluke on July 19th. Following 45 minutes of dramatic breaching and tail slapping, the whale finally freed itself from the remaining gear! 🌊🙌🐋

A huge thank-you to the whale-watching community and private boaters who reported this entangled animal and stayed with the whale until the rescue team arrived on the scene. And a special shoutout to the crew of the “Sycamore” for their unwavering support and teamwork during this harrowing ordeal.

To report a dead, injured, or stranded marine mammal off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, or California, please call the West Coast Region Stranding Hotline at: 1-866-767-6114 (1-877-SOS-WHAL) or radio the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF Ch. 16.

Unfortunately, there is now a second entangled humpback whale off the coast of San Diego County, so please be vigilant and report it if you see it this week! 🐋💙

📸: NOAA MMHSRP Permit #24359

NOAA Fisheries West Coast Pacific Marine Mammal Center Travelers Against Plastic (TAP) Plastic Free JulyNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Plastic Me Not

🆘🐢🚫 Despite a global ban, the demand for hawksbill sea turtle shells in Asia, Central, and South America continues to drive these critically endangered turtles toward the brink of extinction.

📜 A Troubled History - The fascination with "tortoiseshell", or “bekko”, began in the early 1600s and peaked by the mid-1800s. Japan became world-renowned for its bekko craftsmanship, but this led to the slaughter of over nine million hawksbills between 1844 and 1992. Today, fewer than 25,000 adult females remain in the wild.

🌊 Ecosystem Guardians - Hawksbill sea turtles play a crucial role in maintaining healthy coral reefs by feeding on sponges that compete with corals for space and block the sunlight hard corals need to survive. Without the structure provided by hard corals, tropical reefs, and the species that depend on them, would disappear.

🔒 Banned? - Although the international trade of hawksbill turtles and products made from their scutes was banned in 1977 in accordance with CITES (the international law prohibiting trade in endangered species), Japan took out a formal exception to this ruling and continued to actively hunt sea turtles until 1994. While demand for “bekko” has been satisfied by man-made materials in most countries, some consumers continue to create a demand for these injurious artifacts.

🌿 Conservation Efforts - Organizations and local communities worldwide are fighting to save these turtles, but stronger enforcement and protection are crucial. Beyond legal action, training and education of bekko artisans and hawksbill hunters are necessary to ensure that they have the skills and tools they need to transition to more sustainable careers.

🌍 Take Action - NEVER purchase taxidermied sea turtles or products made from their body parts, no matter how old the seller claims they are, as it is impossible to tell vintage turtleshell from freshly killed turtleshell without a laboratory analysis.

Please report any dead sea turtles or items you see made from their scutes being sold illegally using our "SEE shell" app: https://www.seeturtles.org/see-shell.
💚🐢 Together, we can help save hawksbills from extinction. 🐢💚

It's and we'd like to introduce you to our Indonesian partners, Pamali Indonesia! They are a local non-profit group working to protect Denawan Sea Turtle Habitat Beach, a hotspot for green & critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle nesting.

Along with nesting beach protection & hatchery management, PAMALi staff and volunteers also conduct outreach and education programs, as well as nesting beach cleanups, to protect nesting females and emerging hatchlings.

To learn more about PAMALi's important work, please visit their page here: https://www.facebook.com/pamali.id

Pamali Indonesia

Help save hatchlings with just a few clicks by taking this 3-minute survey!

We've teamed up with American Express Essentials, a digital platform providing inspirational content for its engaged audience of American Express Card members.

For every completed survey, Amex Essentials will donate to our Billion Baby Turtles program, helping to save hatchling sea turtles around the world.

Take the survey now to help: https://www.amexessentials.com/reader-survey-2024/



Photo credit: Unsplash/David Corbit

Our 2025 Costa Rica Leatherback Trip is now open!

Join one of our most popular trips to work with these amazing giant turtles.

Learn more or register here: https://www.seeturtles.org/costa-rica-leatherback-turtle-volunteer-trip

A huge thank you to Bethany Holtz for her incredible work over the past few years! Bethany turned into a huge global campaign, dramatically improved our communications, and helped our organization grow.

We wish you the best in your next steps and look forward to seeing your conservation career grow!

(photo taken with permit FWC MTP-22-154)

Embark on an unforgettable journey to Cuba, a captivating island boasting stunning beaches, rich culture, and thriving wildlife. Explore Guanahacabibes National Park, where you can witness the nesting of green sea turtles and dive into crystal-clear waters. In Havana, immerse yourself in the city's vibrant atmosphere with live music, iconic architecture, and visits to Hemingway's home. Join us on this meaningful adventure, where every participant contributes to saving 500 hatchlings at a turtle nesting beach. 🐢🏝️

Book your spot now: https://www.seeturtles.org/cuba-nature-culture

Photo: René Pérez Massola

🐢🌊 In a rare and powerful storm off South Africa, over 500 baby sea turtles were washed ashore, sparking a massive rescue effort. Most are endangered loggerheads, now finding temporary refuge at the Turtle Conservation Center in Cape Town's Two Oceans Aquarium. Around 400 turtles are under rehabilitation while others are distributed to ease the center's capacity.

These tiny turtles, typically cruising the ocean, face a critical start to life due to the unexpected storm. As they recover, the aquarium team works tirelessly to ensure their well-being and eventual return to their natural habitat.

Read more about it here: https://apnews.com/article/turtles-climate-storm-south-africa-plastic-pollution-89f572cbe7f351f65ec9be1b55b902e3

AP Photo: Nardus Engelbrecht

WILD HOPE is a new series of short films highlighting the intrepid changemakers who are working to restore and protect our planet. Each half-hour episode inspires audiences with stories of bold interventions, unexpected alliances, and nature’s resilience.

Episode 12 features Turtle Trackers! Three species of sea turtles nesting in southeast Florida face a range of manmade threats. Thanks to conservation measures, loggerhead and green sea turtles are recovering — but leatherbacks remain at risk. In the battle to save leatherbacks, knowledge is key.

Check out the full episode now at wildhope.tv/episode/turtle-trackers

Nature's Path Organic is a family-owned producer of certified organic foods. You might know them for breakfast cereals but they have more than 150 products. Try their strawberry-chocolate Turtle Splash cereal. Each box you buy comes with a free baby sea turtle adoption certificate, so you can help save turtle hatchlings and their habitat! They have saved hundreds of thousands of baby turtles so far.

Try it here: https://www.naturespath.com/en-us/products/envirokidz/turtle-splash/

Did you know that loggerhead sea turtles get their name from their large skulls? They have a strong powerful jaw which helps them to eat tasty treats like

Learn more about loggerheads here: https://www.seeturtles.org/loggerhead-turtles

Photo: Fundaçao Tartaruga

We've got 5 easy and fun ways families can help sea turtles!

🥤Use less plastic. Sea turtles can eat plastic that ends up in the ocean. Use reusable bags, straws, & bottles, help clean up litter, and recycle plastic waste when possible.
🐢 Help save baby turtles. Every $1 you raise saves 10 hatchlings at an important nesting beach. Donate now: seeturtles.org/donate
✈️ Go SEE them. Join one of our turtle trips for families or schools and you can help protect these incredible animals.
🎈Hang onto those balloons. Helium balloons can travel long distances and hurt animals like birds and sea turtles.
♻️Buy eco-friendly products that save hatchlings. Check out our kid-friendly sponsors and items in our online store.

Learn more: https://www.seeturtles.org/kids


Photo: Campamento Tortuguero Ayotlcalli

Finpinshop is a company run by biologists with a passion for marine life. Their turtle stickers and pins each help save baby turtles!

Pick one up here: https://finpinshop.com/collections/charity-items

Do you have a dream of going to the Galapagos Islands! Now's your chance!

We will visit three different islands; each day will include different activities such as snorkeling with sea turtles, seeing tortoises in captivity and in the wild, and checking out the diverse wildlife including birds like blue footed bo***es, marine animals like sea lions and iguanas. We will also visit the islands’ exotic landscapes including reefs, volcanoes, and more.
Book your spot now, this trip is filling quickly! https://www.seeturtles.org/galapagos

Today is World Blue Mind Day and we want to keep sharing the word about this important movement founded by our co-founder, the late Dr. Wallace J. Nichols.

hashtag celebrates the impact that being in, on, or around water has on our brain and body. It's good for our physical and mental health, creativity, and much more.

Celebrate today by visiting your favorite water spot and share a photo!

Learn more about Blue Mind here:

The Blue Mind Movement | Wallace J Nichols If you'd like to set up a workshop, lecture, or partnership please get in touch directly with the team at Changemaker Talent.