Sea Turtle Viewing Opportunities

If you want to see a sea turtle in Florida, you can attend one of the permitted public turtle walks, a public hatchling release, or a nest hatch success evaluation. You can also visit a facility that houses or rehabilitates sea turtles.

These activities are conducted by FWC's Marine Turtle Permit Holders (MTPH). They first present an interpretive program on marine turtle biology and conservation issues at an off-beach location. For turtle walks and hatchling releases, you are led to the beach to observe a nesting loggerhead turtle depositing eggs or to observe the release of hatchlings (both activities occur at night).

Public hatch success evaluations, conducted by MTPH's, are done after the sea turtle nest has hatched. A hatch success evaluation involves the excavation and inventory of a marked nest to determine the fate of each egg. Occasionally, live hatchlings are recovered from the nest and released at a later date if deemed necessary.

For a closer look at sea turtles, please visit one of the state-permitted facilities that house or rehabilitate sea turtles. Many facilities conduct educational tours involving captive turtles. Please note that admission fees may be charged.