Sea Turtle Conservation Program

Sea Turtle Conservation Program

The Miami-Dade County Parks Sea Turtle Conservation Program (STCP) was established in 1980 in response to disoriented hatchlings found along A1A (Collins Ave) in Miami Beach. Before this time, sea turtle nesting was not being documented in the county. With the implementation of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the Parks Department and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission established the Sea Turtle Conservation Program to protect all species of sea turtles that call Miami-Dade beaches, home. Because of federal and state protections of marine turtles, consistently monitoring their nests became a crucial component to ensure their survival.

Miami-Dade County Parks Sea Turtle Conservation Program biologists survey 19 miles of beach everyday looking for marine turtle activity every day from March to October. They are responsible for marking, monitoring and gathering data, which is then submitted to local, state and federal agencies. The purpose is to allow assessment of the distribution, abundance and trends in Miami-Dade County’s nesting marine turtles, to facilitate protection, assess of nest productivity and improve conservation planning and management. Being in the public’s eye for the majority of their efforts, STCP biologists also act as stewards of conservation to promote and educate Miami-Dade County’s community about sea turtle conservation.

Learn all about the magnificent sea turtles that visit Miami-Dade County Beaches through our educational programs! Participants will gain an understanding on sea turtle biology, diet, nesting and our program by one of our knowledgeable sea turtle biologists. Presentations include real sea turtle artifact demonstrations with shells and skulls. Our education programs can cater varying sizes of groups, both in person and virtual.

Have Questions? Call or text our Education & Outreach Manager at 786-719-6836.
Show your support for Miami Dade County’s Sea Turtle Conservation Program by symbolically adopting a sea turtle nest on one of our county’s beaches! Your adoption includes the following:
- A personalized adoption certificate
- A personalized sea turtle stake with individual/family/business name, placed adjacent to your sea turtle nest for the duration of nest incubation
- A follow up email with pictures when your nest has hatched
Please note the following:
- The adoption of a sea turtle nest is symbolic, as sea turtles are federally protected and it is unlawful to touch or harass sea turtles, hatchlings, eggs and their associated nests
- Sea turtle nests within Crandon, Miami Beach and Haulover Park are eligible for Adopt-a-Nest Program. Unfortunately, we cannot honor specific locations or nests; your sea turtle stake will be placed at the next suitable nest within these Miami-Dade County Parks
- Sea turtles are wild animals. We are unable to predict how many nests will be laid, therefore adopting a nest is limited and based on how many nests are laid within these parks
Visit Adopt a Turtle Nest to purchase to tickets.
Experience an unforgettable morning as you observe our authorized personnel conducting a sea turtle nest evaluation. This rare opportunity (July-September only) offers a behind-the-scenes look at sea turtle conservation efforts in Miami-Dade County.

Participants will enjoy an informal discussion about our program, nesting sea turtles, and the purpose and process of nest evaluations. Because each nest is shaped by natural conditions, what we discover can vary. Possible findings may include eggshells, unhatched eggs, deceased hatchlings, natural odors and bacteria. We encourage all participants to come prepared and aware of these possibilities.

While we hope for exciting discoveries, we cannot guarantee the presence of live hatchlings during these evaluations. Please remember that sea turtles are federally protected, and it is strictly prohibited to touch or handle any nest contents. If available, staff may pass around empty eggshells for closer viewing.

Join the public nightime hatching, for a unique and educational experience that highlights the importance of protecting these incredible marine animals.

All of our sea turtle programs are pop-up events. Visit Pop Up Sea Turtle to stay informed and sign up for event notifications.
Miami-Dade County’s most common nesting species is the Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). Florida hosts one of the largest nesting populations of loggerheads in the world, making our beaches especially important for their survival. In addition to loggerheads, Miami-Dade County beaches provide critical nesting habitat for Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) and Leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea). Both inshore and offshore waters also serve as developmental habitats for these species, as well as others such as the Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) and Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles.

Sea turtle nesting season in Miami-Dade County runs from March 1st through October 31st each year, although nesting can occasionally occur outside of these dates. The Sea Turtle Conservation Program (STCP) operates under a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Marine Turtle Permit (MTP-150) and surveys the majority of county beaches, including seven municipalities and two county parks.

During nesting season, surveys are conducted daily to monitor, document, and study sea turtle nesting activity. When a crawl is determined to have resulted in a nest, staff mark the area with stakes, neon tape and signage to protect it throughout incubation. On average, approximately 600 nests are laid on Miami-Dade County beaches each year.

Each nest typically produces around 100 hatchlings that emerge and make their way to the ocean. However, survival rates are extremely low—it's estimated that only one in 1,000 hatchlings will reach adulthood. This makes ongoing conservation efforts vital to the survival of these species.

All sea turtles are either Threatened or Endangered. They are protected under federal, state and local laws. The following threaten the sea turtle population:
- Artificial lighting and urban sky glow
- Boating traffic
- Pollution
- Plastic ingestion
- Entanglement with fishing gear
- Coastal development and loss of nesting habitat
Artificial lights cause problems for hatchlings as they emerge from their nests at night and instinctively crawl toward the brightest direction. On a dark, natural beach this would be the reflection of the night sky over the ocean. Unfortunately, some highly active and developed coastal areas in the County disorient hatchlings with bright, artificial lights. These lights cause them to crawl inland and away from the ocean, or to wander aimlessly on the beach, burning up energy that is important for their survival if they do reach the sea. Disoriented hatchlings often die from dehydration, exhaustion, being attacked or eaten and even passing cars on the street.

Artificial lighting can also discourage nesting female turtles from coming ashore or we tend to see evidence of higher nesting on our darker beaches. If darker nesting sites are limited, she may come onto land several times to attempt to nest and eventually give up and choose a less-than-optimal nesting site for her eggs.

STCP is working to aid in correcting problematic lighting across the County's beaches through educating the public about the effects of artificial light pollution on sea turtles. Many local municipalities have established lighting ordinances and have been working with FWC to update their code to current standards and technology for sea turtle lighting.
On October 30, 2024, the Miami Beach City Commission updated the city’s 18-year-old Turtle Nesting Protection Ordinance to include lights visible from the beach, integrating interior lighting standards for hotels and commercial properties as well as limiting fireworks to barges that affect the more than seven miles of beachfront.

Learn more about sea turtle protection laws and contacts in your area or contact your municipality's code enforcement department.
If you find a dead, sick or injured sea turtle, please call Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) 24-hour wildlife hotline at 1-888-404-3922, dial *FWC from your mobile phone, or call us at 305-310-3046. Follow any instructions given by the staff, who will report to the scene as soon as possible. (If it is calling after business hours, please leave a voicemail, which is monitored regularly, and we will get back to you as quickly as possible).

Be prepared to answer the following questions:
- What is the location of the turtle
- Is the turtle alive or dead
- What is the approximate size of the turtle
- Is the turtle marked with spray paint
- Are there nearby access points to the turtle
Without your support, the survival of sea turtles on the planet is uncertain. Here are some ways you can help sea turtles:
- Please respect sea turtles' natural behaviors and share the beach. Do not approach or harass nesting sea turtles or hatchlings. Although large reptiles, nesting sea turtles scare easily
- Never interfere or pick up hatchlings emerging from nests or walking on the beach. Without the right permits, this is a violation of the law. Hatchlings have limited energy reserves. If you observe hatchlings travelling away from the ocean, call FWC at their 24-hour wildlife hotline: 1-888-404-FWCC (3922) or *FWC (*392) from your mobile device or our stranding response line at 305-310-3046
- For necessary lighting, please keep it low, shielded, and long. Keep lights low to the ground, pointed downward and shielded from sight from the beach. Sea turtles cannot see long wavelength light well, changing bulbs to amber or red LED reduces the chance for disorientation. Learn more about lighting options for sea turtle nesting beaches
- Keep County beaches and waters clean. Properly dispose of garbage – don’t litter. Sea turtles may mistake debris for food. Imagine the resemblance between a floating plastic bag and a jelly fish
- Stay clear of marked sea turtle nests on the beach. It is a violation of state and federal law to disturb a sea turtle, its nest, eggs or hatchlings. If you encounter a person poaching or vandalizing a nest, call the local police or FWC (1-888-404-3922 or *FWC from your mobile phone). Do NOT try to interfere or stop the event yourself
- Don’t use bonfires, flashlights, flash photography or video camera lights on the beach at night. Bright lights can disturb and cause disorientation of nesting turtles and hatchlings
- Spread awareness in your local community about sea turtles
- Keep up to date with this program. Follow us on Miami-Dade County Parks Sea Turtle Conservation Program's Facebook page and Miami-Dade Sea Turtles on Instagram
- Donate to our program to help us continue protecting sea turtles in Miami-Dade. We partner with Miami-Dade Parks Foundation to accept donations to keep our efforts ongoing