Sea Turtle Week

10/19/2026

Paper of the week: What happens to sea turtles after vessel strikes.

Researchers reviewed 34 years of stranding records from southwest Florida and looked at 364 sea turtles with injuries consistent with boat strikes.

The study found that vessel strikes were often fatal, with sea turtles struck by boats having an exceptionally low survival rate. The turtles studied included loggerheads, green turtles, and Kemp’s ridleys. 🚤🐢

Overall, understanding these injuries can help researchers better understand the impact of boat strikes on sea turtle populations.

Read the paper 👇
https://www.int-res.com/journals/esr/articles/esr01523

10/18/2026

Sometimes you just need to watch a sea turtle swim....and remember why protecting the ocean matters.

If you want to help protect sea turtles, the people working to save them and the places they call home, you can support our work 👇
https://www.seeturtles.org/give

10/18/2026

Plastic pollution doesn't disappear when we stop adding more plastic to the ocean.

A new study found that even if all new plastic pollution entering the ocean stopped by 2050, microplastics would continue to accumulate as larger pieces of plastic already in the water break down into smaller fragments.

Researchers found that tackling ocean plastic pollution requires both reducing plastic waste at its source and removing existing debris before it breaks down into microplastics, which are much harder to clean up.

It's a reminder that prevention and cleanups are both important for protecting our oceans.

10/16/2026

There's a lot of bad news about wildlife these days, but there are also some reasons to be hopeful.

WWF's new Living Planet Report shares that monitored wildlife populations have declined by an average of 73% since 1970. But one example of what's possible is the recovery of green sea turtles.

After decades of conservation work, their global status improved from Endangered to Least Concern in 2025. That's a pretty big deal, and it didn't happen overnight! It took years of protecting nesting beaches, reducing threats, and working with local communities.

There's still plenty of work to do, both for sea turtles and other wildlife, to address the threats they face: from plastic pollution to the illegal turtleshell trade. But it's worth remembering that conservation efforts really can make a difference.

Learn what you can do to help sea turtles👇
https://www.seaturtleweek.com/help

Read more about the report👇
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/oct/08/world-must-change-food-avoid-biodiversity-collapse-wwf

📸:

WWF

10/16/2026

Green sea turtles are large marine reptiles, weighing up to 500 lbs and measuring up to 4 feet long.

They are unique among sea turtles as herbivores, feeding on seagrass and algae, which helps maintain healthy ecosystems.

Found in tropical and subtropical waters, they nest in over 80 countries. Conservation efforts aim to protect their habitats and raise awareness about the importance of reducing plastic waste and human impact.

Learn more about this fascinating species: https://www.seeturtles.org/green-sea-turtle

photo: Neil Ever Osborne

10/13/2026

Paper of the Week: What genetics can tell us about the illegal hawksbill turtle trade.

The critically endangered hawksbill turtle still faces severe pressure from the illegal tortoiseshell trade. Researchers studied the genetics of 107 hawksbill turtles connected to the illegal trade around Hainan Island, China. They found 25 genetic types, including nine that had never been documented before.

Their analysis suggests that most of the turtles in the Hainan trade came from the Philippines (58.5%) and East Malaysia (25.8%), pointing to the South China Sea–Sulu Sea region as a major source area.

The study also suggests there may be hawksbill nesting populations in the region that haven't been identified yet. The researchers say more genetic research and stronger international enforcement are needed to better understand and address the trade.

Read the study👇
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235198942600154X

10/12/2026

Boat and vessel strikes are a big problem for sea turtles.

Scientists at the University of Miami are putting GPS trackers on loggerhead turtles in Biscayne Bay to see where they’re crossing paths with boats.

By tracking the turtles and boat traffic, researchers hope to figure out where and when turtles are most at risk of being hit.

The goal is to better understand the problem and find ways to help protect turtles in Biscayne Bay. 🐢🌊

Read more: University of Miami: Sea turtle tracking project 👇
https://news.miami.edu/rosenstiel/stories/2026/09/sea-turtle-tracking-project-to-identify-vessel-strike-risks-in-biscayne-bay.html

Photo: Sea turtle injured by a boat strike receives treatment in South Florida. © .

10/11/2026

Did you hear about the influencers riding nesting sea turtles? This is worth the read.

"But it shouldn’t have to be spelled out to adults to not mess with wildlife–any of it, anywhere."

Read the article:

Fodor's provides expert travel content worth exploring so you can dream up your next trip. The world is a weird and wonderful place—we want to show you around.

10/09/2026

Fun Fact Friday: What’s an arribada?

An arribada is a mass nesting event where thousands, and sometimes tens of thousands, of female turtles come ashore to nest at the same time. The word comes from Spanish and means “arrival.” (Basically, a bunch of sea turtles coming to the beach at the same time to lay eggs).

Only two sea turtle species are known for arribadas: Kemp’s ridleys and olive ridleys.

And these gatherings can be HUGE. In Costa Rica, the two major arribada beaches, Nancite and Ostional, support an estimated 600,000 olive ridleys. At La Escobilla in Mexico, an estimated 450,000 females nest. Arribadas for olive ridleys also happen in other places, including 3 beaches in India.

Photo: Olive ridley sea turtles, © NOAA

10/08/2026

🐙 Happy World Octopus Day!

Did you know octopuses and sea turtles can share the same habitats? Several octopus species live in coral reefs, seagrass beds, and nearshore waters where sea turtles also forage and spend time.

Two very different animals, sharing the same underwater neighborhoods! And apparently, sometimes octopus hunt hatchlings. Check out this video: https://www.temanaotemoana.org/en/an-octopus-attack-on-an-hatchling-turtle-recorded-for-the-first-time/

Have you ever seen an octopus in the wild? Let us know!

🐙