Turtle Facts

Five turtles.
Five ways to be remarkable.

Meet the five sea turtle species found in Florida’s waters. Every one is protected by law — and every one can be helped by a kid with a flashlight turned off. You’ll find each in the book’s Sea Turtle Passport.

Loggerhead sea turtle line art
Loggerhead
Threatened
Florida’s most common nester — a massive head and jaws built for crunching crabs.
Green sea turtle line art
Green Turtle
Threatened
The comeback kid. Named for green body fat from a seagrass diet.
Leatherback sea turtle line art
Leatherback
Endangered
The giant — no hard shell, dives deeper than most submarines, eats jellyfish.
Kemp's ridley sea turtle line art
Kemp’s Ridley
Endangered
The rarest sea turtle on Earth, and the smallest.
Hawksbill sea turtle line art
Hawksbill
Endangered
A beak like a bird and a shell that reef sponges fear.
Species information: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission ↗
The part nobody tells you

It's working.

Florida's green turtle nest counts have risen dramatically over the past two decades — built on protection, research, and better choices on the beach. Conservation isn't a sad story. It's a comeback story, and kids are part of it.

A small detail that matters

They don’t need a full moon.

Hatchlings can find the ocean during every phase of the moon. On a natural beach, they head toward the light of the open horizon. Artificial lights can lead them the wrong way.

Beach rules

Four ways to share the beach.

You don’t have to be a scientist to help. Start with what you leave behind.

01
Keep it dark.
Turn off beach-facing lights and close blinds after dark. Avoid flashlights, phone lights, and flash photography on the beach.
02
Leave it flat.
Fill holes completely and flatten sandcastles before you leave. A smooth beach gives turtles a clearer path.
03
Pack it all out.
Take chairs, umbrellas, toys, and trash with you. The next beach visitor may have flippers.
04
Give them space.
Watch from a distance. Never touch or move a turtle, hatchling, nest, or eggs. Leave marked nests undisturbed.
Beach guidance: FWC’s sea turtle protection reminders ↗
See a turtle in trouble?
In Florida, call FWC Wildlife Alert and follow their instructions. Don’t touch or move it.
1-888-404-3922

Want the whole story?

Six chapters of it, plus the puzzles, the passport, and the pledge.

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