Through games, crafts, and educational activities, our instructors will teach the young conservationist about the importance of caring for and protecting sea turtles and other marine life. Campers will experience close encounters with our resident sea turtles and visit a local nesting beach.

Did you know that last year we had RECORD HIGH loggerhead nesting in Boca Raton? This equated to a nesting loggerhead turtle being seen during 75% of our TURTLE WALK PROGRAMS! Our Turtle Walk Programs include an ecology walk on the beach, so even if we aren’t able to see a nesting turtle, we do enjoy an evening walk on the beach. While we can’t guarantee you will see a turtle on a Turtle Walk, you will see baby sea turtles scurry into the ocean during our HATCHLING RELEASE PROGRAM. Did you know Gumbo Limbo Nature Center is one of only three facilities in Florida permitted to conduct public Hatchling Release Programs? Tickets must be purchased in advance for both of these programs and tickets sell out. No tickets are sold at the door. General Public Tickets are $17 each. Existing Members of Friends of Gumbo Limbo may purchase a specific number of tickets (based on Membership Level) for $10 each. Scroll down for ticket limits.

For almost forty years, Boca Raton’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program has monitored sea turtle nesting activity on Boca Raton beaches. While the majority of sea turtles nest at night, occasionally a sea turtle will come ashore during daylight hours to lay her eggs. On Thursday (May 2) afternoon, one leatherback turtle did just that, despite the torrential rain. Gumbo Limbo Nature Center’s Maine Conservationist, Kirt Rusenko, was called to the site in Spanish River Park by Boca Raton Ocean Rescue. “I arrived to witness a large, healthy leatherback sea turtle laying her eggs in the sand. After about an hour, she completed her nest and returned to the ocean. Usually a daytime nesting sea turtle would draw a crowd; however, the severe weather kept people off the beach.”

After spending several months at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center (GLNC), two young Green sea turtles were released back to their home in the ocean after receiving medical care and rehabilitation at GLNC’s Sea Turtle Rescue Facility. Shannon and Max both turtles suffered from severe cases of a debilitating disease called Fibropapillomatosis (FP). Shortly after arrival, surgery was performed by GLNC veterinarians to remove the tumors, and after significant healing time and squid breakfasts, the turtles were deemed “tumor-free” and ready for release.