Sea Turtle Conservancy at the Archie Carr Refuge

10/10/2026

Creature's Fest is happening from 11 am to 3 pm TODAY! Come on out and enjoy live animals, touch tank, scavenger hunt, crafts, conservation booths, food trucks, and a black light not-so-scary underwater theater.

10/09/2026

Join us TOMORROW, SATURDAY OCTOBER 10TH, at the Barrier Island Center for a free, fun, family event to celebrate animal diversity, ecology and conservation with a Halloween theme. Enjoy critteriffic games, touch tank, live animal encounters, conservation booths, scavenger hunt, eco-arts and crafts, black light not-so-scarry experience (sneak peak in the video teaser), food truck, and more! Costumes encouraged and appreciated. The BIC team will be wearing invasive species costumes.

10/07/2026

There have been more greens than loggerheads nesting this season in the Archie Carr Refuge!

Thank you to the UCF Marine Turtle Research Group, Sebastian Inlet State Park, and Ecological Associates, Inc. for monitoring and reporting nesting activity in the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge
* Please note the nesting numbers only reflect the State Park's numbers through Sept. 1st

It is looking like the loggerheads may be done for the season, but what an impressive season!

Thank you to the UCF Marine Turtle Research Group, Sebastian Inlet State Park, and Ecological Associates, Inc. for monitoring and reporting nesting activity in the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge

* Please note the nesting numbers only reflect the State Park's numbers through Sept. 1st

09/30/2026

This November, Floridians will vote on Amendment 3, a constitutional amendment that proposes to raise the homestead property tax exemption. If this amendment passes, in the first year alone, counties in Florida are estimated to lose nearly $3 billion in revenue.
What will this look like in Brevard County, an area that hosts the densest sea turtle nesting beaches in the United States? If this Amendment passes, our Barrier Island Center partner, the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program will be directly affected. This could result in deep cuts to staff, greatly reduce land purchasing for conservation lands and services we all enjoy like high quality environmental education programs. Swipe to find out other impacts.

09/30/2026

Counting down to Creature's Fest! Join us at the Barrier Island Center for a free, fun, family event to celebrate animal diversity, ecology and conservation with a Halloween theme. Enjoy critteriffic games, touch tank, live animal encounters, conservation booths, scavenger hunt, eco-arts and crafts, black light not-so-scarry experience, food truck, and more! Costumes encouraged and appreciated. The BIC team will be wearing invasive species costumes.

09/30/2026

Today is the LAST DAY to order your Tour de Turtles 5k Virtual Run Shirts! You can even order a shirt if you're not participating in the race 😎 Multiple colors and styles available including tank tops and longsleeves at https://float.org/collections/stc

09/21/2026

The Greens and the Loggerheads have both reached over 21,500 nests! What an amazing nesting year for both species in the Archie Carr Refuge!

Thank you to the UCF Marine Turtle Research Group, Sebastian Inlet State Park, and Ecological Associates, Inc.for monitoring and reporting nesting activity in the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge

The Greens are gaining on the Loggerheads!

Thank you to the UCF Marine Turtle Research Group, Sebastian Inlet State Park, and Ecological Associates, Inc.for monitoring and reporting nesting activity in the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge

09/21/2026

The preliminary nest counts suggest both loggerheads and leatherbacks will break their statewide nesting records this year!

🐢 2026 Sea Turtle Nesting Season Update 🐢
We may have a new loggerhead nesting record in Florida!

🟡 Loggerheads have reached a preliminary 136,972 nests statewide as of August 31, already exceeding the previous annual record of 134,930 nests set in 2023. These numbers are still preliminary and will need to be verified before we can officially call 2026 a new record year, but it’s an exciting milestone!
🟣 Leatherbacks have also had a remarkable season, with 2,209 nests documented so far. If these preliminary numbers are confirmed during final data review, 2026 would also set a new statewide leatherback nesting record.
🟢Green turtles continue to keep things interesting, with 50,815 nests documented statewide. Their nesting numbers can vary widely from year to year, and 2026 is shaping up to be another strong season.
🔵 Kemp’s ridley turtles remain rare visitors to Florida’s beaches, with 15 confirmed nests documented so far this season.
🟠 Florida’s first confirmed olive ridley nest remains one of the most remarkable discoveries of the 2026 season.

🌴 Thank you to all the permit holders, volunteers, interns, and partners working together to document sea turtle nesting activity across the state!

📊 Preliminary statewide totals as of August 31, 2026
• Loggerhead: 136,972 nests
• Green Turtle: 50,815 nests
• Leatherback: 2,209 nests
• Kemp’s Ridley: 15 confirmed nests
• Olive Ridley: 1 confirmed nest
• Hawksbill: 0 nests

📸Photos: FWC

09/11/2026

Are you a middle or high school student, age 11 to 18, interested in learning how to take action to make change in your community? Do you care about sea turtles and the environment? The applications for the STC Action Ambassadors are due September 17th! Download the application at this link: https://conserveturtles.org/program.../action-ambassadors/. This program is sponsored by the Sea Turtle Grants Program funded through the "Helping Sea Turtles Survive" specialty license plate.

09/09/2026

Sea Turtle Conservancy at the Archie Carr Refuge could be directly affected by Amendment 3. We partner with Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program to manage the visitor services and educational and stewardship programs at the Barrier Island Center. Vital funds necessary to operate and maintain the center come from local property taxes. The $250,000 homestead exemption is estimated to reduce Brevard County property tax revenues by more than $87 million annually (26%), assuming current millage
rates remain unchanged. The Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program will experience a loss of $1.4 million annually. This could result in deep cuts to staff, greatly reduce land purchasing for conservation lands and services we all enjoy. To learn more visit: https://conserveturtles.org/news-post/sea-turtle-conservancy-position-on-amendment-3-in-florida/

In Florida, sea turtle protection happens mostly at the local level. Our coastal parks, environmental education centers, and enforcement of environmental regulations are largely funded by property tax revenue.

This November, Floridians will vote on a constitutional amendment titled "Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes," or Amendment 3. If this amendment passes, in the first year alone, counties in Florida are estimated to lose nearly $3 billion in revenue and more than $5 billion in year two. To make up for this loss in revenue, counties will need to cut services, and natural resource management and planning will likely be the first on the chopping block.

When local governments cannot carry out their duties effectively, sea turtles could suffer. Coastal lighting could go unmitigated, leading thousands of sea turtles toward problematic lights and into harm’s way. Our waterways could suffer from toxic algae blooms; our environmental education centers could be shuttered; our beaches could be filled with concrete and improper development. With no resources to enforce existing laws and expand natural resource management, Florida’s coastal communities, and the wildlife that depend upon them, could suffer.

Florida’s tourism economy thrives when habitat and wildlife are protected. This November, we urge Floridians to join us in opposing Amendment 3. Click here to read our full position: https://conserveturtles.org/news-post/sea-turtle-conservancy-position-on-amendment-3-in-florida/