Education & Resources
Learn. Protect. Take Action.
Discover practical ways to reduce human-caused threats.
Understand sea turtles, wildlife, habitats, and conservation threats.
Know what to do when wildlife may need professional assistance.
Protecting Wildlife Through Knowledge & Action
Southwest Florida's beaches, estuaries, wetlands, and coastal waters support an incredible diversity of wildlife. Protecting these animals begins with understanding the challenges they face—and knowing what each of us can do to reduce human-caused threats.
Southwest Florida Sea Turtle Rescue provides community education focused on sea turtles, coastal wildlife, marine conservation, and responsible stewardship of the natural resources we all share.
Whether you're a resident, visitor, angler, boater, student, educator, or simply someone who cares about wildlife, these resources are designed to help you learn, recognize potential threats, make responsible choices, and know when to report a wildlife concern.
Sea Turtles of Southwest Florida
LOGGERHEAD
Caretta caretta
Florida's most common nesting sea turtle.
LEATHERBACK
Dermochelys coriacea
The largest sea turtle species in the world.
GREEN
Chelonia mydas
A sea turtle found in Florida's coastal waters and nesting beaches.
KEMP'S RIDLEY
Lepidochelys kempii
The world's smallest sea turtle and one of the most endangered.
Rare Here. Important Everywhere.
Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Education
The Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) is the smallest sea turtle species in the world and is federally listed as endangered.
Kemp's ridleys are particularly unusual because they regularly come ashore to nest during daylight hours. This can create an important public education opportunity: a sea turtle encountered on a beach during the day is not necessarily in distress.
Learning to recognize normal behavior, protect turtles from disturbance, and report genuine concerns appropriately can help reduce unnecessary human interference while ensuring animals that truly need assistance can receive it.
RECOGNIZE → PROTECT → REPORT
-
Learn normal sea turtle behavior and recognize potential signs of distress.
-
Give turtles space and reduce hazards such as artificial lighting, beach debris, and abandoned fishing gear.
-
Know when and how to contact trained wildlife responders.
Fishing Gear & Marine Wildlife
Hooks & Line
Fishing hooks and line can accidentally injure or entangle sea turtles and other protected wildlife.
Marine Debris
Lost or discarded fishing gear can remain in the environment and continue posing hazards to wildlife.
Prevention
Responsible disposal, retrieval of lost gear, and safer fishing practices can reduce preventable wildlife interactions.
NOAA specifically documents accidental hooking and entanglement of sea turtles in recreational fishing gear and recommends immediate reporting of sick, injured, entangled, stranded, or dead turtles.
Be A Responsible Coastal Neighbor
🌙
🕳️
🎣
Keep beaches dark.
Reduce artificial light visible from nesting beaches.
Fill holes.
Beach holes can trap or obstruct turtles and hatchlings.
Manage fishing gear.
Retrieve, properly dispose of, or recycle fishing line and gear when possible.
🪑
🐕
🚤
Clear the beach.
Take chairs, umbrellas, tents, and other equipment with you.
Control pets.
Keep pets away from wildlife and nesting areas.
Watch for wildlife.
Stay alert and slow down around marine wildlife.
FWC specifically recommends giving nesting turtles plenty of space, removing beach gear, addressing lighting, and watching for marine life while boating.
Found A Sea Turtle In Distress?
Keep your distance. Don’t handle it. Get help.
1. Keep your distance.
2. Don’t touch or move it.
3. Note the location.
Keep people and pets away from the animal.
Do not attempt to rescue, transport, feed, or otherwise handle the turtle unless directed by authorized personnel.
Be prepared to provide the exact location, condition of the animal, approximate size, and nearest access point.
4. Report it.
FWC Wildlife Alert
1-888-404-FWCC
(1-888-404-3922)
Available 24 hours a day
Our Conservation Education Projects
SWFLSTR develops community education projects that connect conservation science with practical actions people can take to protect wildlife and coastal habitats.
Rare Here. Important Everywhere.
Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Education
Public education focused on recognizing, protecting, and appropriately reporting Kemp's ridley sea turtles in Southwest Florida.
Future Conservation Education Projects
Additional science-based education initiatives addressing emerging conservation needs affecting sea turtles, marine wildlife, and coastal habitats in Southwest Florida.
Fishing Gear & Marine Wildlife
Education focused on the relationship between fishing gear, marine debris, and wildlife conservation.
Education in our Community
Conservation is most effective when people have the knowledge and resources to make informed decisions.
SWFLSTR's education and outreach may include school programs, community presentations, conservation events, educational displays, printed materials, digital education, wildlife awareness campaigns, coastal stewardship initiatives, and partnerships with educators and conservation organizations.
Resources
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
Official Florida information about wildlife, sea turtles, regulations, reporting, and conservation.
NOAA Fisheries
Federal information about marine wildlife, sea turtles, conservation, fisheries interactions, and protected species.
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium
Marine science, research, conservation, and education resources relevant to Southwest Florida.
MORE RESOURCES COMING SOON
This resource library will continue to grow as SWFLSTR develops additional educational materials and partnerships.