How Can I Help?

Adopt a Nest (Volusia County & Marineland)

(For information on adopting a nest in Flagler County, please click here to be redirected to the Flagler Turtle Patrol website.)
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By adopting a sea turtle nest, you are not only providing funding to support the protection of an endangered species, but you also get cool stuff! For a $50 adoption fee, you will receive: an adoption certificate, a sea turtle education packet, a nest success evaluation report (via email or text) and a turtle sticker.  Click the link below to fill out an adoption application.

​Notes about Adoptions:  
  • As of August 2021 we will no longer be providing a free shirt with nest adoptions. This will save money on purchasing shirts and shipping/postage so that more of the proceeds can benefit the turtles! This will also expedite the processing and mailing of adoption packets. T-shirts, tanks and kids shirts will still be available for sale (see section below). Thank you for your support and understanding.
  • ​Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.
  • Each adoption is an individual nest laid during the current nesting season (May through September), adoptions received after August 1 will be filled the following nesting season. 

Purchase a T-Shirt.

Want to show your support and bring awareness to the community? T-shirt purchases provide funding to the non-profit turtle patrols ​and show your support for the protection of endangered species. We have many choices for you, including men and women's t-shirts, tank tops and children's t-shirts. Click the link below to see more info including prices, shirt styles, colors, and more! (Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.)

We've also got a limited supply of Turtle Trek 5K merchandise for sale!

Donate.

 We are a non-profit organization staffed by volunteers so every penny counts! Please consider making a donation to help us achieve our mission of protecting the sea turtles. You can make a donation by clicking the link below and mailing your donation to the Volusia Turtle Patrol. ​Thank You for your generosity!

Volunteer.

We very much appreciate our volunteers who patrol the beaches each morning. We couldn't do it without them! If you're interested in volunteering for morning patrol, click below to download a volunteer application. Applications will be reviewed in April for the upcoming turtle nesting season. 

Protect Our Sea Turtles!

Because we share our environment with sea turtles, the things we do every day can have an affect on them. Adult turtles and hatchlings are injured and killed every year because of the actions of humans. What can YOU do to increase their chance of success?
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  • Remove obstacles from the beach! Nesting turtles and hatchlings can get caught and injured on beach chairs, umbrellas, etc. Leave nothing but footprints.
  • Pick up your trash! Sea turtles often mistake plastic bags and other waste as a source of food (e.g. floating plastic bags look like jellyfish to a turtle). Ingesting non-food items can kill them.​​
  • ​​Do not build bonfires on the beach! The light from beach fires can confuse moms-to-be coming to shore causing them to return to sea before laying their eggs. Fires can also confuse hatchlings causing them to head towards the glow of the fire instead of the ocean.
  • Lights Out! There are many other light sources that can confuse the turtles as well. If you live along the beach, close your blinds at night. If you walk on the beach at night, please consider walking by the light of the moon rather than using a flashlight. 
  • Fill in those holes! While it's great fun to build sandcastles and dig holes on the beach, please knock down sandcastles and fill in holes before you leave. Mama turtles coming to shore can get stuck in the holes, unable to climb out. Sandcastles become obstacles which may cause mama turtle to turn around rather than proceed forward to lay her nest. To hatchlings, holes and sandcastles are even bigger obstacles!
For more tips on what YOU can do to help protect our sea turtles, click the button below.