STC Awarded Two Florida Sea Turtle License Plate Grants in 2022

Funded by a portion of revenues from Florida’s Sea Turtle Specialty License Plate, the Sea Turtle Grants Program distributes funds each year to support sea turtle research, conservation and education programs that benefit Florida sea turtles. In 2022, Sea Turtle Conservancy had two educational grants funded, Body Condition, Blood Analytes and Diet of Juvenile Green Turtles in Florida’s Big Bend and Seasonal Movements of Immature Kemp’s Ridley Turtles in a Warming Gulf of Mexico.

• Body Condition, Blood Analytes and Diet of Juvenile Green Turtles in Florida’s Big Bend involves collecting baseline sea turtle health and diet data that will be become valuable for future spatial and temporal comparisons. Baseline blood chemistry data are also extremely useful as a reference in the medical management of sea turtles under veterinary care. The health and diet results will be used to compare with the health and diet of juvenile green turtles at other developmental sites in and around Florida, as well as at developmental sites outside of Florida that have a known genetic tie to Florida’s nesting beaches, such as Bermuda and others sites throughout the Caribbean.
• Seasonal Movements of Immature Kemp’s Ridley Turtles in a Warming Gulf of Mexico funds research in the northeastern Gulf where Endangered Kemp’s ridleys were documented residing in near shore areas during the warmer months, but migrating south along the coast in the winter as sea surface temperatures decrease. However, this research was conducted several decades ago and recent warming trends in the Gulf may be altering these migratory patterns. Immature Kemp’s ridley turtles recruit to shallow bays and estuaries in Florida’s Big Bend region, yet very little research has been conducted to look at the possible impacts of climate change on the movements and habitat use of these turtles. This study is looking at potential seasonal shifts in movement and diet of immature Kemp’s ridley turtles in response to changes in sea surface temperatures.

Both projects are funded in whole by a grant awarded from the Sea Turtle Grants Program. The Sea Turtle Grants Program is funded from proceeds from the sale of the Florida Sea Turtle License Plate. Learn more at www.helpingseaturtles.org.