Please support me as I raise funds for the Sea Turtle Research and Conservation Program(STRCP) at Mote Marine Laboratory! This program helps protect over 4,000 nests that are laid within 35 miles of beach in a nesting season, making up the highest density of loggerhead sea turtle nests in the Gulf of Mexico. The STRCP has been going on for over 40+ years and covers areas in both Sarasota and Manatee County. Any amount at all helps, thank you so much for your support! These funds go directly to the STRCP and if you'd like to be even more involved or show support in a different way, sign up for the Run for the Turtles hosted on Siesta Beach!
Here is how your support helps endangered and threatened sea turtles:
- $50 will provide supplies for marking and monitoring 15 sea turtle nests.
- $350 will outfit a sea turtle intern with enough equipment to mark 100 nests.
- $500 will provide printing and distribution of educational materials for 75 beach-front properties. Education is critical for keeping our beaches safe for sea turtles.
- $1,000 will buy enough supplies to tag 100 nesting sea turtles. Tagging allows us to identify individual turtles as they return to nest. We've observed some individuals since the 1980s!
- $2,500 supports DNA tests for 25 mother turtles and their hatchlings. DNA testing (genotyping) helps us recognize how many males and females are breeding—important information for protecting populations.
- $5,000 allows us to tag a turtle with a satellite transmitter and track it for several months to a year. Tracking helps us understand where turtles go to feed after leaving the nesting beach and what challenges they might encounter as they migrate through the ocean.
