SAVE THE SEA TURTLES

Safety Harbor Montessori Academy primary classes are joining together in an effort to bring awareness of the dangers facing sea turtles around the globe.

The SHMA Spring Festival brings the children together as a community and teaches them about other countries and their cultures. The children’s studies have brought awareness of the environmental issues sea life encounters, especially sea turtles.  Together they started this fundraising campaign to help Clearwater Marine Aquarium save sea turtles.  

Your help is appreciated.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a 501(c)(3) non-profit established in 1972 providing rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine life as well as conservation education. We believe in preserving our environment while inspiring the human spirit through leadership in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine life, environmental education, research and conservation.

There are five species of sea turtles found in the Gulf of Mexico, two of which are critically endangered. Loggerhead sea turtles, Green sea turtles, Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles, Hawksbill sea turtles, and Leatherback sea turtles can all be found in the Gulf of Mexico. At this time, between our resident and rehabilitation turtles: Loggerheads, Greens, Hawksbill, and Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles can all be found at CMA.

We have responded to over 250 sea turtles this year, matching all that we responded to in all of 2015. A cold stun event hit the Tampa Bay area bringing cold temperatures and stormy weather bringing many immune compromised sea turtles to the Pinellas County area.

Sea turtle nesting season is about to begin in which CMA monitors 26 miles of beach in Pinellas County. Beginning April 1st, Clearwater Marine Aquarium patrols a 26 mile stretch of beach throughout Pinellas County. Our morning patrols reach the beach just before sunrise 7 days a week. Initially, our teams of nearly 175 volunteers, staff and interns search along the high tide line for evidence of sea turtle nesting activity namely, marks in the sand left by crawling females.

With your donations, our team has been able to work diligently on rehabilitating these sea turtles getting many prepared for release.

Please watch this video for CMA's most recent release