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Turtle Tracks Newsletter
December 2025
| | | FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK TO KEEP UP TO DATE ON FUTURE EVENTS! | | 🎁 Give Gifts That Give Back This Holiday Season 🐢💚 | | |
Make your holiday shopping meaningful with gifts that support sea turtle conservation. From ultra-soft tees and reusable Pirani cups that keep drinks hot or cold, to our Save-A-Turtle Eco Totes by Recover, there’s something for every ocean lover on your list.
Not sure what to choose? We’ve got you covered!
✨ Gift cards make easy, thoughtful presents
🐢 Symbolic sea turtle adoptions are a heartfelt way to give a unique gift that truly makes a difference.
Best of all, every purchase directly supports sea turtle conservation—so your holiday giving helps protect the oceans we all love.
Shop with purpose this season and share the gift of conservation.
👉 Explore our holiday merch, clearance items, gift cards, and adoptions now! SHOP SAVE-A-TURTLE NOW
| | Join Save-A-Turtle: Volunteers Needed for the 2026 Sea Turtle Season 🐢 | | |
Do you love sea turtles and enjoy early morning walks on the beach?
Save-A-Turtle is looking for dedicated volunteers from Islamorada to Key West to help protect endangered sea turtles during the upcoming nesting season.
Each year, our volunteers play a vital role in monitoring beaches, protecting nests, and helping ensure hatchlings have a safe start to life. It’s a meaningful way to give back to the Florida Keys environment while becoming part of a passionate, conservation-driven community.
As a Save-A-Turtle volunteer, you’ll:
- Help and engage in your local community
- Actively protect endangered species
- Learn about sea turtles and coastal conservation
Volunteer requirements:
- Must be 18 years or older
- Attend a required online training (via Microsoft Teams; dates TBD)
- Be available to walk beaches in the mornings shortly after sunrise (timeframes vary)
- Be located in the Florida Keys from April 15 through October 31
All trainings are conducted virtually, and 2026 training dates will be posted closer to the season.
If you’re interested in volunteering, please email volunteer@save-a-turtle.org and let us know which area of the Keys you prefer to volunteer in.
Join us in making a difference for sea turtles and the beaches we all love—one morning walk at a time. 💚🌊
| Save-A-Turtle Loved Being Part of the Island Art Festival 🐢🎨 | |
Save-A-Turtle had a fantastic time participating in the 39th Annual Island Art Festival, presented by the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce and held on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at the Chamber grounds in Big Pine Key.
With free admission, beautiful weather, and a steady stream of visitors, the festival was the perfect setting to connect with our community and visitors from across the Florida Keys and beyond. We enjoyed meeting so many fellow ocean lovers, talking turtles, sharing our mission, and offering some of our favorite Save-A-Turtle merchandise—many of which made great holiday gifts!
The Island Art Festival featured talented artists, along with live music, food and beverages, and a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere. It was truly a wonderful day celebrating creativity, local businesses, and community spirit.
We’re grateful to the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce and everyone involved for organizing such a fun and well-attended event. Thank you to all who stopped by our booth, showed support, asked questions, and helped us continue our work protecting sea turtles in the Florida Keys.
We look forward to participating again and continuing to share our love for sea turtles—both on the beach and in the community! 💚🌊
Our next event will be the Nautical Expo on January 24th and 25th at the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce.
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Protect Our Marine Neighbors:
Safe Boating Saves Lives 💙🐬🐢
| | Boat strike victim that did not survive. Red arrow indicates start of strike wound. | |
Each year, dolphins, manatees, and sea turtles are injured or lost due to boat strikes. While these incidents are tragic, the good news is that many of them are entirely preventable. With a little awareness and care, boaters can play a powerful role in protecting the marine life that makes our waters so special.
Here are a few simple ways you can make a big impact every time you’re on the water:
👀 Keep an Eye Out
Designate a passenger as a wildlife watcher to scan ahead for surfacing dolphins, manatees, or sea turtles. Spotting wildlife early can prevent serious injuries and save lives.
🐢 Take It Slow
Follow posted no-wake and slow-speed zones at all times. These speed limits are in place to protect animals in important feeding, resting, and travel areas—and slowing down helps keep everyone safer on the water.
📞 Report Animals in Need
If you encounter an injured or stranded marine animal, contact the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) immediately. Prompt reporting gives rescue teams the best chance to help.
Every thoughtful choice you make on the water helps ensure that dolphins continue to leap, manatees can graze in peace, and sea turtles return safely to our shores—now and for generations to come. 🌊💚
| | Outreach poster developed by NOAA Fisheries and the Hawai'i Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation | | |
💚🐢 2026 Save-A-Turtle Board
Nominations Are Open! 🐢💚
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Do you—or someone you know—want to play a meaningful role in sea turtle conservation? Save-A-Turtle of the Florida Keys is now accepting nominations for 2026 Officers and Board Members.
We’re looking for passionate, community-minded individuals who care about sea turtles, value conservation and education, can work collaboratively, and are able to attend monthly meetings and a handful of special events throughout the year. Nominees must live in the Florida Keys.
Open positions include:
President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and three Board Members.
🗓 Nomination deadline: Monday, December 22, 2025 (11:59 PM)
🗳 Voting: January 12, 2026 Board Meeting
📅 Term: Through January 2027
To nominate yourself or someone else, please submit the nominee’s name along with a phone number or email address. All nominees will be contacted to confirm interest.
Help shape the future of sea turtle conservation—submit your nomination today!
2026 SAT Board Nomination Form
| | January 2026 Board Meeting and Elections | | |
Save-A-Turtle Board Meeting
(meeting link is static and good for each monthly meeting)
Monday, January 12, 2026
6:30 - 8:30PM
Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 829 7023 2616
Passcode: 210787
One tap mobile
+13052241968,,82970232616#,,,,*210787# US
+16469313860,,82970232616#,,,,*210787# US
| | 2025 Save-A-Turtle Board Members | | |
President: Heather Skelley
Vice President: Dave Wiggins
Treasurer: Dawn Bowles
Secretary: Chelsea Oatman
Board Member: Harry Appel
Board Member: Jennifer DeMaria
Board Member: Alyssa Gruebele
Board Member: Betheny Rodden
Board Member: Jana Wiggins
Technical Advisor: Sue Schaf
| | 🐢💚 Love Sea Turtles? Let’s Connect! | | |
If sea turtles make your heart happy (they sure make ours!), you’ll love what we share online. From fun turtle facts and easy eco-friendly tips to behind-the-scenes peeks at our conservation work, there’s always something new to discover. 🌊✨
📱 Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay inspired, learn, and help spread the message of protecting sea turtles and our planet.
Together, we can make waves for wildlife—one share at a time! 🌍💙
10 Tremendous Turtle Facts
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Report Sick, Injured or Dead Sea Turtles in Florida
Call FWCC at 888-404-FWCC (3922)
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