Florida Coastal Conservancy
Home of the St. Joseph Peninsula Turtle Patrol and the Forgotten Coast Sea Turtle Center.
What's Happening Now
Florida Coastal Conservancy
4 weeks ago
Our 2024 nesting season has officially come to an end...
This year we hosted 221 loggerhead nests on our six-mile stretch of St. Joseph Peninsula, which produced 10,640 hatchlings.
Our nesting females and their hatchlings face many natural obstacles on the beach, such as predation by birds, mammals, ghost crabs, and ants; and drowning or washing out in storm surges. With so much of mother nature working against them, it is so important that we do all that we can to help. By removing beach equipment and trash, filling in holes and leveling sand sculptures, and keeping lights out or using turtle-friendly lights, we can greatly increase their odds of success.
We hope you enjoy this video, created by the talented John Wakeford Francis, who had the opportunity to witness hatchlings make their way to the Gulf during one of our nest evaluations this year. It so beautifully captures the joy and wonder we are so fortunate to experience in our work.
We sincerely appreciate our incredible Volunteers and our community of supporters who are helping ensure these amazing sea turtles come back to our shores year after year.
🎥: John Wakeford Francis, http://www.johnwakefordfrancis.com/
St. Joseph Peninsula Turtle Patrol & Forgotten Coast Sea Turtle Center
Through our interactions with visitors to the Forgotten Coast Sea Turtle Center, beach-goers during nesting season, and inquirers from around the world, we are working hard to educate the public about the importance of sea turtles and the ways we all can help them.
Leave No Trace & Keep Lights Off
Help our visiting sea turtles at night:
- Clear the way at the end of the day by removing all beach equipment.
- Fill in holes and level sand sculptures.
- Turn lights off or use turtle-friendly red lights.
- Our sea turtles dig the beach CLEAN, FLAT, and DARK.
Visit Us at The Turtle Center
Come visit the Forgotten Coast Sea Turtle Center!
Port St. Joe, FL
11:30 - 4:30pm EST