Juno Beach, FL – The Research Department at Loggerhead Marinelife Center monitors 15 km of nesting beach in northern Palm Beach County, Florida, and typically documents over 15,000 sea turtle nests annually. Our local beaches the most densely nested in the Western Hemisphere for loggerheads, and are regionally important nesting beaches for leatherbacks and green turtles.
We document all sea turtle nesting and non-nesting emergences using sub-meter accuracy global positioning systems (GPS) and mark a significant portion of these nests for assessment of reproductive success. The high accuracy of this equipment is required due our high nesting density. In the image and video, our Research Operations Manager, Jen Reilly, uses one of these units to document sea turtle crawls on Juno Beach.
In 2023, we were told that the GPS units we used were no longer produced and the software associated with them was obsolete, requiring us to replace each unit for the 2023 nesting season. These units cost ~$6000 each. Two of the required seven GPS units were funded, in part, by a grant awarded from the Sea Turtle Grants Program. The Sea Turtle Grants Program is funded from proceeds from the sale of the Florida Sea Turtle License Plate. Learn more at www.helpingseaturtles.org. We are extremely grateful for funding from the Sea Turtle License Plate, which made an extremely busy nesting year a success.
To learn more about the Sea Turtle Grants Program and the “Helping Sea Turtles Survive”
specialty license plate, please visit www.helpingseaturtles.org.
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About Sea Turtle Grants Program:
Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s GPS equipment was partially funded through a grant awarded by the Sea Turtle Grants Program, which is funded from proceeds from the sale of the Florida Sea Turtle License Plate. The Sea Turtle Specialty License Plate is the primary source of funding for Florida’s Marine Turtle Protection Program. It also supports the Sea Turtle Grants Program, which has awarded nearly $7 million in grants for research, education and conservation programs since 2001 to benefit sea turtles in Florida. By purchasing a Sea Turtle Specialty License Plate for your vehicle for only $23 a year, you are providing critical financial support for the Sea Turtle Grants Program and the state’s Marine Turtle Protection Program every time you drive. Learn more at www.helpingseaturtles.org
About Loggerhead Marinelife Center:
Loggerhead Marinelife Center, located in Loggerhead Park, Juno Beach, Fla., is a sea turtle research, rehabilitation, education, and conservation center. The Center also manages the Juno Beach Pier across the street from the park. Established in 1983, LMC seeks to promote conservation of ocean ecosystems with a special focus on threatened and endangered sea turtles. Its facilities include a sea turtle hospital, a research laboratory, and exhibit areas, including live sea turtles and other coastal creatures. For more information, visit marinelife.org or call (561) 627-8280.
