SEE Turtles

Check out this beautiful photos of a hawksbill sea turtle by C.S. Rogers.

Hawksbill populations have declined more than 80% in the last century, primarily due to the trade in their beautiful carapace (shell), also referred to as “tortoiseshell.”

They are considered critically endangered around the world by the IUCN Red List and are listed as endangered in the US. Some researchers believe the Eastern Pacific hawksbill is likely the most endangered sea turtle population worldwide.

Learn more about what you can do to help end the illegal tortoiseshell trade 👇
https://www.seeturtles.org/too-rare-to-wear

What do you know about leatherbacks?

Did you know that they can dive deeper than 4,000 ft (roughly 1,200 m)! S***m whales, beaked Whales, and elephant seals are the only other known animals that dive deeper!

Learn more about leatherbacks here:
https://www.seeturtles.org/leatherback-turtle

Want to take a trip to see some? You can join us on a conservation tour! Our 2026 trip is full, but you can sign up for alerts on future trip announcements. 👇
https://www.seeturtles.org/costa-rica-leatherback-turtle-volunteer-trip

SEE Turtles is joining and we’d love for you to join us!

Started by our late co-founder, Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, in 2014, 100 Days of Blue encourages people to spend 100 consecutive days near, in, on, or under water to support well-being and strengthen our connection with nature. 💧

The idea is simple: take time each day to consciously connect with water and appreciate it, not just for what it provides us, but for what it is.

This is not a challenge with strict rules. It’s a celebration of water, peace, healing, and connection..

🧠 Use the hashtags and
💙 Tag us so we can share your blue moments too!

Since its inception, Billion Baby Turtles has distributed more than $1.5 million in conservation grants, focusing on the most endangered species and populations, including hawksbills and Eastern Pacific leatherbacks.

The program prioritizes projects that engage local communities and address high-impact threats to nesting beaches, like consumption of turtle eggs and meat.

Do you want to help save hatchlings? Donate here👇
https://www.seeturtles.org/give

📸 SEE Turtles president and co-founder, Brad Nahill

Alright, we've got our last for the month of May!

You all did such a great job with the others, so we're wondering if you'll get this one.

We'll reveal the answer in our stories later, so be sure to check back!

We take people to Colola Beach in Mexico, but the story behind this place is honestly just as incredible as the experience!

The black turtle, a population of the green sea turtle found only in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, was once pushed to the brink of extinction. In the 1960s and ’70s, tens of thousands were harvested for meat and eggs. At the peak, up to 70,000 eggs were taken per night. Nesting females crashed from around 25,000 to fewer than 200 by the late 1980s.

In 1982, a coalition between the University of Michoacán, the Nahua communities of Maruata and Colola, and conservation partners set out to reverse that decline. Night patrols began, with local families—especially children—collecting eggs and relocating them to protected hatcheries. Many of those kids are now leaders in the program today.

And it worked.

In the 2024–25 season alone, about 350,000 eggs were protected and more than 2.6 million hatchlings were released.

Today, Colola is one of the most important sea turtle nesting beaches in the world—and a powerful example of community-led conservation.

Want to join us on a trip January 9 - 15, 2027? https://www.seeturtles.org/colola

Read more about Colola Beach: https://www.seeturtles.org/turtle-blog/colola

📸: Dr. Carlos Delgado of the University of Michoacan with SEE Turtles President Brad Nahill by Juan Ma Contortrix.

What did you do for yesterday?

Check out this piece by Mongabay.com:

World Turtle Day: Important conservation wins amid turtle extinction crisis World Turtle Day is celebrated every May 23 to raise awareness about the threats faced by turtles and tortoises. Turtles, tortoises and terrapins, which together make up the order Testudines, have evolved over millions of years, dating back to the Triassic period. However, recent reports show that m...

It may seem early to think about 2027, but these trips fill fast and spots don’t last long.

At Colola Beach, you’ll witness one of the most incredible wildlife events on the planet! This beach is home to the black turtle population of the green sea turtle—a conservation success story that’s rebounded from just 500 nests in 1999 to more than 60,000 each year, producing millions of hatchlings each season.

And this isn’t just a front-row seat because YOU are part of the work.

Join researchers and local conservationists to measure nesting turtles, help protect and relocate nests, and release hatchlings into the ocean. On past trips, we’ve averaged ~300 nests and around 2,000 hatchlings released per night.

Led by SEE Turtles Program Director Adriana Cortes alongside local partners, this is hands-on conservation in one of the world’s most important nesting sites.

If it’s on your list—don’t wait. 👇
https://www.seeturtles.org/colola

We recently acquired EcoTeach, but our history goes way back.

Our co-founder and president Brad Nahill first went to volunteer on a turtle project in Costa Rica through an EcoTeach trip in 1999. By 2001, EcoTeach was helping fund early leatherback sea turtle conservation efforts there, led by Nahill.

Since 2008, SEE Turtles and EcoTeach have run 40+ trips together, bringing nearly 500 travelers and raising $250,000+ for conservation and coastal communities.

Read more about our EcoTeach acquisition: https://www.seeturtles.org/turtle-blog/ecoteach