Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol

06/22/2026

Dear person who found our keys: thank you so much for turning them into the post office! May the turtles of happiness nest all over your beach forever. 🐢💖

06/21/2026

This mama didn’t choose the best location for her nest, but thankfully she wasn’t trapped and was able to leave safely on her own after nesting. To help give her babies the best chance of success, the eggs were carefully relocated to a safer location.

All marine turtle activity is conducted by authorized personnel under FWC MTP-111.

06/20/2026

Spotted! Traveling south on A1A in Ponte Vedra Beach. This work trailer was sporting not one but TWO clean, dark, flat decals. Awesome way to share the message. Thank you!



Clean=free of trash and obstacles that impede turtles.
Dark=natural light-sky only.
Flat=no holes or sandcastles to trap nesting mothers or babies.

06/20/2026

Coach getting the job done.

Just kidding! Kevin is the hardest-working man we know. He was being a good sport posing for our silly photo.

06/20/2026

Come see us at Mayport Waterfront Market (4542 Ocean St) and find out how our local turtles are doing.

06/16/2026

Here is the preliminary statewide monthly nesting report through May 31. In our little corner of Florida, we had 25 nests on that date. We are now into the 60s so it’s shaping up to be good year in our survey area.

🐢 2026 Sea Turtle Nesting Season Update 🐢
It's World Sea Turtle Day and the 2026 nesting season continues with a very strong start across Florida this summer! 💪

Leatherbacks are currently on track for another record year, and loggerheads are also tracking above recent years, although it is still too early to know whether this will become a record-breaking season. Green turtles are also off to a stronger start than expected following the very high nesting numbers documented in 2025.

We also have an exciting first for Florida: one olive ridley nest was documented in May and confirmed by genetics, representing the first ever documented olive ridley nesting event in the state!

Here are preliminary statewide totals as of May 31st:
🟠38,874 loggerhead nests (compared to 24,130 in 2025, 27,135 in 2024, 36,514 in 2023, and 13,036 in 2022)
🟣271 green turtle nests (compared to 110 in 2025, 57 in 2024, 2,291 in 2023, and 67 in 2022)
🔵 1,806 leatherback nests (compared to 1,683 in 2025, 1,445 in 2024, 1,220 in 2023, and 1,245 in 2022)
🟢 10 confirmed Kemp’s ridley nests (compared to 5 in 2025, 8 in 2024, 5 in 2023, and 7 in 2022)
⚪0 hawksbill nests (compared to 0 in 2025, 0 in 2024, 0 in 2023, and 2 in 2022)
🔴 1 olive ridley nest, the first ever documented in Florida!

💫 Thanks to all the permit holders, volunteers, and partners involved in this incredible community science effort, working together to document sea turtle nesting activity across the state!

Check back for monthly updates throughout the season! ✅

📸Photos: FWC

06/16/2026

Meet the conservation legend who inspired Sea Turtle Day.

🌊Happy World Sea Turtle Day!

Today, we celebrate one of the ocean’s most remarkable creatures and honor the legacy of the man who helped inspire their protection worldwide.

June 16 marks the birthday of Dr. Archie Carr, the pioneering sea turtle biologist and conservationist whose groundbreaking research led to the protection of critical nesting beaches and transformed sea turtle conservation.

🏝️ The Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge stands as a living tribute to his vision—a sanctuary for loggerhead, green, and leatherback sea turtles and one of the most important nesting areas in the Western Hemisphere.

Every sea turtle that emerges from the ocean to nest on these shores is a testament to the power of science, conservation, and community action working together.

💚 Join us in carrying Archie Carr’s mission forward. Support sea turtle conservation, share awareness, and help protect the beaches and oceans these incredible animals call home.

06/16/2026

Today is World Sea Turtle Day, a chance to celebrate all seven species of sea turtles and the important role they play in our oceans.

From the hatchlings that emerge on our local beaches to the adults that travel thousands of miles across the globe, sea turtles inspire us every day.

As nesting season continues, remember to keep our beaches clean, dark, and flat to help protect nesting mothers and hatchlings.

Happy World Sea Turtle Day!

06/15/2026

Leatherbacks are the largest sea turtles in the world, growing up to 8 feet long and weighing more than 2,000 pounds. These incredible ocean travelers can journey thousands of miles and dive deeper than 3,000 feet in search of their favorite food—jellyfish.

Today, we're celebrating this remarkable sea turtle as part of Sea Turtle Week.

Happy Leatherback Day.