MORAES

MORAES is a South Florida nonprofit organization committed to our local marine environment through research and education.

08/27/2026

As sea turtle nesting season is in full swing, MORAES would like to take a moment to honor the legacy of Wendy Teas, the original Marine Turtle Permit holder for Virginia Key.

Born and raised on the Texas coast, Wendy moved to South Florida in the late 1980s after completing her master’s degree to begin working for NOAA Fisheries. After recognizing that Virginia Key lacked dedicated monitoring for sea turtle nesting activity, Wendy worked with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to become the island’s Marine Turtle Permit holder.

For the next 30 years, Wendy dedicated herself to monitoring and protecting sea turtle nesting activity on Virginia Key before passing the responsibility on to MORAES in 2021. Her decades of commitment laid the foundation for the work we are fortunate enough to continue today.

In recognition of Wendy’s incredible contribution to Virginia Key's sea turtles, we are honored to officially rename our nest adoption program the Wendy Teas’ Adopt a Nest Program.

We are deeply grateful for the path she paved and proud to carry her work forward.

08/24/2026

Join us with Miami Beach Rising Above and Carillon Miami Wellness Resort for another Flip the Switch Cleanup on Sunday, August 30, from 9 AM–12 PM at 68th Street Beach!

Help protect South Florida's marine ecosystem by removing harmful marine debris while learning how it affects local sea turtle nesting and best practices for coastal conservation.

After the beach cleanup, volunteers are invited to join a marine debris activity at the Carillon Miami Wellness Resort and learn how we can work together to keep our beaches clean and protect local wildlife.

📍 68th Street Beach | Carillon Miami Wellness Resort
🗓 Sunday, August 30
⏰ 9 AM–12 PM

Registration in bio — see you soon!

08/20/2026

Thank you to Frost Science Museum for inviting us to participate in their Mini-Me Science: Into the Wild – Florida Coastlines event this past weekend! Our team was honored to be involved!

Shoutout to all the friends and families who joined us for the sea turtle release and participated in our Mock Nest Excavation Activity! Participants got a hands-on look at how sea turtle nests are excavated and how these efforts help researchers better understand nesting success.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for such a fun and educational day!

All turtle activities are conducted under permit -153.

08/17/2026

Another successful Flip the Switch clean-up in the books!

Thank you to Hilton Bentley Miami/ South Beach and Miami Beach Rising Above for partnering with us, as well as all our hard working volunteers. We truly couldn't have done it without them!

We out did ourselves yet again, and ended up collecting 26 pounds of marine debris! Every piece, big or small, makes a huge impact to our ecosystems health.

The happy hour following the event was a hit, and we are so thankful for Hilton Bentley's incredible hospitality.

We cant wait to see you at the next one on August 30 at the Carrilon! Registration in bio!

08/10/2026

Join MORAES for the 41st International Coastal Cleanup!

On Saturday, September 19, we’ll be joining volunteers across Miami-Dade and around the world to help remove marine debris and protect our coastlines. Come spend the morning with us at Darwin Beach and make a huge impact!

Our group will be focusing mainly on the removal of invasive species in the area, allowing native species to reclaim their habitat and restore the natural ecosystem.

Cleanup supplies will be provided, and community service hours are available. Please bring a reusable water bottle, wear closed-toe shoes, and come prepared for the weather.

📍 Darwin Beach | 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149
🗓 Saturday, September 19
⏰ 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Register at volunteercleanup.org

We hope to see you there!

08/06/2026

Join us alongside Miami Beach Rising Above, Hilton Bentley, and our incredible community for another Flip the Switch: Sea Turtle Beach Cleanup on Thursday, August 13, from 4:30–6:30 PM at the beach behind Hilton Bentley!

Help protect South Florida's coastline by removing harmful marine debris while learning about Florida's sea turtle nesting season, the impacts of pollution on local beaches, and simple ways we can all help protect our coastal ecosystems.

After the cleanup, stick around for a Happy Hour at Hilton Bentley for an opportunity to connect further with fellow community members who share a passion for protecting our oceans.

📍 101 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach, FL 33139

🗓 Thursday, August 13

⏰ 4:30 PM–6:30 PM

We can't wait to see you there!

08/03/2026

August is here, and so is our new event schedule!

We're looking forward to this month's lineup of opportunities. Whether you're interested in volunteering at a cleanup, attending an educational event, or simply just learning more about South Florida's marine ecosystems, we hope to see you there!

Keep an eye on our website for updates and additional opportunities throughout the month.

We can't wait!

07/30/2026

Another amazing turnout for our Flip the Switch clean-up!

We are so grateful for Eden Roc Hotel, Nodu Hotel, and Miami Beach Rising Above for collaborating with us, as well as all our amazing volunteers. This wouldn't be possible without you!

We collected about 25 pounds of marine debris this time, shattering our record from last week. Every piece of litter picked up, big or small, makes a huge impact!

We hope everyone had a great time at the happy hour following the event, and we'd like to give a special shout-out to all of our raffle winners! Stay tuned for more opportunities to get involved with us, we love to have you!

07/27/2026

Reminder to stop by the Darwin Beach Educational Trail if you haven't already!

As we reach mid-summer, the native species are lush and thriving. We are so happy with how the project turned out, and even more thrilled to see everyone enjoying the space and all of the hard work that went into it.

Grab a drink at Salt, take a walk along the educational trail, and spend the day relaxing on this quiet, secluded beach!

Open every Friday from 11 AM – 9 PM

07/23/2026

Sea turtle hatchling season is in full swing!

Interested in learning more about sea turtles and want to have a chance to see a sea turtle nest excavation (and potentially some baby turtles)? Reach out to us to learn more about booking a private sea turtle nest excavation event!

Nest excavations take place 3 days after a sea turtle nests hatches and are performed by trained, permitted personnel. During the excavation, participants will have the chance to see hatched sea turtle eggs, whole sea turtle eggs, and maybe even some live baby sea turtles! Should live hatchlings be found, participants may be given the opportunity to watch the hatchlings make their journey out to sea!

Interested in booked a private sea turtle nest event?

Email us at [email protected]!

(All sea turtle activity conducted by trained personnel under FWC MTP-153)

Address

Key Biscayne, FL

Website

http://soflomoraes.com/

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