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Sea Turtle, Inc. |
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Sea Turtle, Inc. was founded in 1977 by Ila Fox Loetscher, better known as "The Turtle Lady of South Padre Island. In 1999, Sea Turtle, Inc moved from Ila's backyard into it's current location at 6617 Padre Blvd. Originally
this organization was formed to aid in the protection and recovery of
the endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle. Our mission has now expanded
into three parts: Sea Turtle,
Inc is a non-profit organization (501-C3). The sole source of income is
public donations which are used to achieve the three missions. Specifically,
donations help with the upkeep of the sea turtles housed at the facility.
This includes food, medications, heaters, filters, water and electricity.
Donations are also used to support Sea Turtle, Inc.’s educational
programs and sent around the world to fund alternative resource and conservation
projects. Sea Turtle, Inc. awards scholarships to University level biology students. Each summer we host an internship program for currently enrolled or recently graduated college students in the biological sciences. Donations help to fund both of these student opportunities.
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| Alternative
Income Projects |
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| Sea Turtle, Inc. uses public donations to help fund alternative resource projects around the world. Developing small industries in coastal communities historically dependent on poaching sea turtles and their eggs provides a long-term economic alternative. Some of these alternative items are available to purchase through the website ~ click below! The ceramics and coconut jewelry projects help fund the conservation of the Kemp's ridley sea turtle. The plastic purses from Costa Rica and glass beads from Trinidad are in place to aid the Leatherback sea turtle. |
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| Conservation Projects | ||||||||
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We are currently funding three conservation projects around the world:
The Michoacán project is a partnership of Sea Turtle, Inc., Gladys Porter Zoo, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, University of Michoacana and the Michoacán Government. The goal of this project is to conserve the nesting black sea turtles and their eggs. The local villages of Colola and Maruata now actively protect the nesting females from poachers and relocate the eggs into corrals for incubation. |
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In Guyana,
South America, Sea Turtle, Inc. and the World Wildlife Fund are partnering
up to help the Leatherback sea turtle. Along Shell Beach, leatherbacks
come ashore to lay their eggs each year. The local Arawak community now
protects the Leatherback, Green and Hawksbill sea turtles which nest on
their beaches. Funding is needed to help educate the local children in
regard to the environment and local species of wildlife. |
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| Do You Want To Visit? | ||||||||
Sea Turtle, Inc. is open to the general public year round. A key part of our mission is to educate the public about sea turtles. We offer educational talks to any size group, ranging from individual families to large groups. We are home to "Allison", the first sea turtle in the world to use a successful prosthetic!
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Here
on South Padre Island, Sea Turtle, Inc. and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service fund the Kemp’s ridley project. This is a bi-national effort
that has been in effect since the mid 1970’s. The main nesting beach
for the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is located within Tamaulipas, Mexico
(about 200 miles from the TX/MEX border). Each summer, from April-August
we patrol the beaches for nesting Kemps’ ridley turtles. The eggs
are incubated in a corral and then the hatchlings are released back into
the Gulf of Mexico. 
