Adopting Sea Turtles: The Only Guide You Need!

Nay! You are not reading it wrong. You can actually adopt a sea turtle. How? Here is the basic rule for adopting sea turtles.

Look for organizations that allow sea turtle adoption. Next, select the suitable adoption package for you and make the payments. Finally, you will receive an ownership certificate and gifts for your good gesture.

Need more details? Read the article to the end.

Step by Step Process For Adopting Sea Turtles

Well, of course, it is not possible to keep a sea turtle in your home pool. Marine turtles grow up in an environment entirely different from ours. For example, the first thing the emerged hatchlings do is rush to the sea. Then they swim miles to explore the open ocean and find a suitable home.

In the early stage, baby sea turtles are mainly carnivorous. But as they grow young, their diet preferences switch to vegetation. The food list of sea turtles includes jellyfish, snails, seaweed, seagrass, etc. You can access the diet of different marine turtle species from this article.

Besides this food habit switch, sea turtles also migrate from time to time. It is a natural phenomenon for all marine turtles.

Generally, baby turtles travel miles to find a communal habitat. Similarly, when adult and sexually mature, the marine turtles migrate to a place to involve in mating.

Moreover, according to experts, sea turtles tend to nest in their own birthplace. So, another migration for these turtles. Furthermore, the most common reason for migrating is to find a foraging ground.

Sea turtles also switch from cold to warm water during cold seasons. Catch all the reasons why migration is necessary for sea turtles from this write-up.

So, keeping sea turtles out of the ocean is a painful experience, at least for these creatures. While you can manipulate and create a salty environment, you can not replicate the migration or nesting phenomena.

Thus, it will lead to a huge behavioral and psychological change in the turtles. Unfortunately, sea turtles do not live this through in enclosed environments. Even if you try keeping the turtles in a captive pool, they must always be under expert observation.

However, though it is not possible to keep a sea turtle physically, you can virtually adopt one. These virtual adoptions are the best ideas to improve the marine turtle rescue and conservation rate.

See, we spot many injured marine turtles on the beaches and vulnerable sea turtle nests each year. Protecting the clutches or saving the creatures requires money. Of course, it is challenging for non-profitable organizations to arrange those amounts.

In these programs, you pay to adopt a marine turtle egg, clutch, hatchling, or even a rescued turtle. The best part is the money is utilized exactly for that purpose. As a result, besides saving a life, you are contributing to the consecration status of this endangered species.

How can you adopt a sea turtle virtually? Here are the steps,

1. Look For A Organization

Of course, you do not want to waste your money on a scam. So, look for reputable and trusted marine life organizations. Talk to them and see whether they have a turtle rescue or adoption program available.

2. Choose Your Program

Next, look for the program that suits you. Generally, there are several packages and ways of supporting sea turtles. For example, you can pay the cash at one time or installation. Again, you can adopt a baby, adult sea turtle, or nest.

Catch the brief on each package below,

Adopting An Adult Sea Turtle:

Generally, sea turtles only come to the beaches when they need to nest. However, sometimes you may spot an injured sea turtle on the beach, crying for help.

In such cases, you have to call the marine life authorities or rescue centers. The team will come to the spot and take the creature with them, or they will ask you to drive to their place.

Later, the experts do proper checkups and treat the turtles. Generally, the turtles stay in the rescue hub until they get back on their feet.

By adopting a rescued adult, you pay for its treatment and contribute to saving its life. I know such a small gesture is all a turtle enthusiast wants. But there is more to it.

Some programs allow you to track the movement of your adopted sea turtles. They install a chip in the rescued turtle before letting it go into the ocean. Therefore, you can easily monitor the geological location of your sea turtle via an app or bracelet.

Do not take the tracking system as some cruel gesture. In fact, the researchers use the information to study the behavior of these marine creatures. Also, the satellite program runs only for a few years.

I have a Fahlo sea turtle tracking bracelet. Here is my experience with this tracking system this far.

Adopting A Baby:

Sometimes, the just emerged babies get lost. Let it be an injury or any other external factors. Those hatchlings do not find a home. If you leave the babies in that condition, they will die.

So, rescue organizations take the hatchlings in and offer the required treatments. You can also support one or multiple babies for the time being. As a thank-you gift, the authorities let you name the hatchlings.

Adopting A Nest:

Nests go unprotected on many beaches and shorelines. Though the concerned authorities take steps, those are not enough. Marine life organizations often take responsibility for exposed nests and ensure maximum hatching of the eggs. You can take part in the program by sponsoring the whole nest.

The program management team nest and incubate the eggs in a safe environment. That way, they can ensure a high hatching rate.

3. Complete Formalities

Now that you have selected the right program, apply for the adoption. The organizers will contact you about the payment and other facilities. After the transaction, you will be the proud owner of a sea turtle.

4. Adoption Complete

When you sign up for the sea turtle adoption program, the organizers send you a certificate of ownership. Also, they give you soft toys, tracking bracelets, cards, and other gifts.

Sea Turtle Adoption Programs

You will find different sea turtle adoption programs online. Also, you may check your state’s wild and marine life organizations for more options.

I have listed some trusted sea turtle adoption programs below,

1. Adopt A Sea Turtle By Oceanic Society

The Oceanic Society is a licensed non-profitable organization in the USA. It works to improve the conservation status of marine turtles and other creatures.

Under the sea turtle adoption program, the society has launched the ‘Adopt a sea turtle for a year package. You can get ownership of a marine turtle for one year with a tiny amount. With this organization, you can adopt any of the mentioned marine turtle species, green sea turtle, leatherback sea turtle, loggerhead sea turtle, flatback sea turtle, Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle, Olive Ridley sea turtle, and hawksbill sea turtle.

Adopt A Sea turtle – Oceanic Society

2. Adopt A Famous Sea Turtle – Olive Ridley Project

This program launched by the Olive Ridley Project is definitely interesting. The team has named different sea turtles by the name of the person who photographed them for the first time. Generally, the team focuses on a small reef where the chances of re-spotting the same turtle are high.

When you adopt a famous sea turtle, you actually do not spend money on that particular turtle. But the organization uses that money to rescue injured marine turtles, remove ghost nets, and fund sea turtle research.

Besides, you receive attractive gifts from the organizers as a gesture of goodwill. Also, you get updates on re-sighting the turtles on the surface or beach. 

Adopt A Sea Turtle – Olive Ridley Project

3. Adopt A Turtle – WWF

WWF has also arranged an adoption program where you can sponsor any sea turtle species. The organizers of this project offer a turtle soft toy, a personalized certificate, a welcome pack, and regular updates on the adopted turtle. Besides, the team allows a monthly installation. So you do not have to pay the sponsorship money altogether.

Adopt A Sea Turtle -WWF

4. Adopt A Resident – Gumbo Limbo Coastal Stewards

Gumbo Limbo Coastal Stewards have a permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The adoption center has two special residents, Morgan and Cane, who are unable to return to the ocean due to their severe injuries. You can sponsor these turtles and bear their maintenance.

The organization also has other adoption programs. For example, you can feed a baby sea turtle for only $1. Similarly, you can feed the large turtles and support a little turtle’s treatment or surgery with a slightly bigger amount.

Adopt A Sea Turtle – Gumbo Limbo Coastal Stewards

5. Adopt A Sea Turtle Nest – Miami Dade Country

Miami Dade Country is a licensed organization determined to save sea turtle nests. As a part of their program, they have launched a project where turtle enthusiasts can adopt a whole nest in Haulover or Crandon Park.

Of course, you will get a certificate for your donation. Besides, the team will send you pictures and updates of your adopted nest. They will also email you when the clutch is hatched.

Adopt A Sea Turtle – Miami Dade Country

Other Adoption Programs

I have mentioned some more organizations that allow sea turtle adoption. You can compare the programs and select the best one for you,

1. Loggerhead Marinelife Center
2. Sea Turtle Conservancy
3. Project Biodiversity
4. Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium
5. Dolphin Discovery Center

Before You Go

Remember not to take a sea turtle in even when it is injured. In any case, inform the concerned authorities first. The below article will explain why you can not keep a sea turtle and your punishment for it.

Can you keep a sea turtle? Why not?