Today, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium’s 40th Annual Run for the Turtles welcomed 1,245 runners to Siesta Key Beach and virtual tracks around the globe. Participants took part in the 1-mile fun run and the Manasota Track Club-sanctioned 5K, showing up in support of Mote’s longstanding sea turtle conservation efforts.
This year’s Run was another major success. While the final fundraising total is still being calculated, the event is expected to bring in approximately $45,000 to support Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation & Research Program (STCRP), which monitors 35 miles of nesting beaches daily during sea turtle nesting season and studies sea turtles through tagging and satellite tracking.
“For 40 years, Run for the Turtles has connected our community directly to the conservation of these keystone species,” said Dr. Jake Lasala, Manager of Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation & Research Program. “Each participant and supporter plays a role in advancing the research and protection efforts that are critical to ensuring sea turtles continue to thrive along our coastlines.”
In 2025, STCRP documented 5,735 sea turtle nests across the beaches it monitors—the highest number of nests ever recorded in Mote’s 43-year monitoring history—marking a significant milestone for the program and a promising sign for these threatened and endangered species. To learn more about the program, visit mote.org/research/program/sea-turtle-conservation-research.
Supporters can also get involved through Mote’s Adopt a Nest Program. Your adoption helps support Mote Marine Laboratory’s Sea Turtle Conservation & Research Program (STCRP), which monitors sea turtle activity to learn more about their biology and behavior with the goal to help reduce human impacts on these endangered and threatened species. Your name will be featured on a sign placed at a nest on the beach of your choice.
Sea turtle nesting season in southwest Florida begins May 1 and runs through October 31. Coastal residents and visitors can help by keeping beaches dark and clear at night—turning off or shielding lights visible from the beach, and removing obstacles like furniture and trash that can interfere with nesting and hatchlings.
Results of the Manasota Track Club-sanctioned 5K:
Top Overall:
Male – Alexis Giraudineau
Female – Vicky Romocki
Top Master:
Male – Adam Andre
Female – Rachel Chambers
Top Grandmaster:
Male – Andy Wodziak
Female – Pam Pell
Top Senior Grandmaster:
Male – Tim McCaffrey
Female – Amy McCormack
Top Vet Grandmaster:
Male – Michael Gallagher
Female – Sandy Meneley
A special thank you to our sponsors and partners: