More Than Rescue. A Commitment to Conservation.
Southwest Florida Sea Turtle Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing sea turtle conservation and education while building the capacity for future rescue, rehabilitation, and release programs throughout Southwest Florida.
We believe every sea turtle deserves a second chance—and that protecting these remarkable animals requires more than responding to emergencies. It requires education, community involvement, conservation, and a long-term commitment to protecting the waters and habitats they call home.
Our Story
Southwest Florida is home to an extraordinary diversity of marine life, including several species of sea turtles that depend on our coastal waters and beaches for survival.
Southwest Florida Sea Turtle Rescue was founded in June 2025 with a simple but important goal: to create a dedicated organization capable of helping injured and stranded sea turtles receive the care they need while helping the community better understand how to protect them.
From our beginning as a newly established nonprofit, we have worked to build relationships, engage our community, expand conservation education, and establish the foundation needed for a dedicated sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation facility in Southwest Florida.
We are building an organization designed to develop the capacity to respond when a turtle is in distress while also addressing the larger challenges facing sea turtles through conservation, education, and community action.
Our Mission
Southwest Florida Sea Turtle Rescue is dedicated to protecting sea turtles and their coastal habitats through conservation, education, and community engagement while building the capacity for future rescue, rehabilitation, and release programs throughout Southwest Florida.
Our work is rooted in the belief that protecting sea turtles extends beyond rescue. By combining future rescue and rehabilitation capabilities with conservation, education, and community engagement, we aim to create lasting benefits for sea turtles and the ecosystems they depend upon.
Five Pillars. One Mission.
Our organization is built around five interconnected areas of impact. Some are already part of our work today, while others represent the programs and capabilities we are working to develop as SWFLSTR grows. Together, they form our long-term approach to sea turtle conservation.
1. RESCUE
Responding to injured, stranded, and distressed sea turtles.
2. REHABILITATE
Providing the specialized care needed to give turtles the best opportunity for recovery.
3. RELEASE
Returning recovered sea turtles to the wild whenever they are medically cleared.
4. PROTECT
Supporting conservation efforts that help protect sea turtles, their habitats, and the coastal ecosystems they depend upon.
5. EDUCATE
Connecting people with sea turtle conservation through schools, community programs, events, and public outreach.
Our Journey
From an Idea to an Organization
Southwest Florida Sea Turtle Rescue was founded in June 2025 with a vision of creating a dedicated resource for sea turtle rescue, rehabilitation, conservation, and education in Southwest Florida. Since our founding, we have continued building the organization, developing community relationships, expanding outreach, and laying the groundwork for a dedicated rescue and rehabilitation facility.
Our Leadership
Southwest Florida Sea Turtle Rescue is driven by people who are passionate about marine life, conservation, animal welfare, and the communities we serve.
The People Behind the Mission
Celine Marx
Founder & Executive Director
Celine founded Southwest Florida Sea Turtle Rescue with a vision of creating a dedicated resource for sea turtle rescue, rehabilitation, conservation, and education in Southwest Florida. Her background combines environmental science, animal welfare, healthcare, and community outreach, providing a multidisciplinary foundation for the organization's work.
Through her work with animal welfare and marine conservation organizations, Celine has gained experience in animal care, conservation education, public outreach, and community engagement. She continues to build partnerships and organizational capacity as SWFLSTR works toward establishing a dedicated rescue and rehabilitation facility.
Relevant Experience
Environmental Science
Animal welfare & rehabilitation volunteering
Sea turtle conservation experience
Conservation education
SCUBA certified
CPR certified
Nonprofit organizational leadership
Building the Future of Sea Turtle Rescue in Southwest Florida
Southwest Florida needs more than temporary solutions for injured and stranded sea turtles. It needs dedicated infrastructure capable of supporting rescue, rehabilitation, education, conservation, and long-term community engagement.
That is why we are working toward our long-term goal of establishing a dedicated sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation facility in Southwest Florida.
The facility will provide the space and resources necessary to expand our ability to respond to turtles in need while creating opportunities for conservation education, community involvement, and meaningful partnerships.
We are still building—and every volunteer, donor, partner, educator, and community member who joins us becomes part of that future.
