2020 Sea Turtle Nesting
ABOUT MOTE'S SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION & RESEARCH PROGRAM (Nesting updates are below.) Mote Marine Laboratory's Sea Turtle...
Mote admits six cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley to Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium's Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital is currently caring for six juvenile, cold-stunned Kemp's ridley sea turtles. On Saturday, Nov. 21, Mote staff traveled to the St. Pete-Clearwater...
A busy season at Mote’s Hatchling Hospital
Rescued sea turtle hatchlings have received plenty of TLC in Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium’s Hatchling Hospital during summer and early fall 2020. As September drew to a close, Mote staff reported...
Mote Marine Laboratory to be featured on PBS program Changing Seas
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium is excited to announce that its groundbreaking research on blue holes will be featured on South Florida PBS’s Emmy-award winning original series, Changing Seas, during its 12th season premiere...
New sea turtle scientist expanding Mote’s research this nesting season
PHOTO BELOW: NESTING LOGGERHEAD TURTLE (MOST LOGGERHEADS NEST AT NIGHT, AND DAYTIME SIGHTINGS ARE RARER). CREDIT: MOTE MARINE LABORATORY. MOTE'S SEA TURTLE ACTIVITIES ARE CONDUCTED UNDER FWC MARINE...
New sea turtle patient in critical condition at Mote
A new loggerhead sea turtle patient is in rehabilitation at Mote Marine Laboratory’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital after being rescued on Friday, March 27, 2020. The adult female sea turtle was reported by a private citizen...
Feb. 29-May 31: Savage Ancient Seas exhibit
Long ago in an ocean not so far away, turtles had 12-foot shells, seabirds had teeth, and “sea monsters” with powerful jaws prowled beneath the waves. On Feb. 29 through May 31, 2020, Mote Aquarium visitors can peek into this...
It’s official! Mote declares record-breaking year for sea turtle nests in the Sarasota area
August 6, 2019 -- Sarasota, FL -- Sea turtle nesting season is not yet over, but Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program (STCRP)...
Name a satellite-tagged sea turtle!
"Name Me" has a name! Contest winner Carol Bishop named the turtle Cecil, in honor of her mother. Thanks to Carol for her support of Mote's sea turtle research. Follow Cecil at mote.org/seaturtletracking From...
Mote Marine Laboratory’s sea turtle program gets help from Florida drivers
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium sea turtle biologists received extra help to protect and research Florida’s sea turtles thanks to Florida drivers and two grants from the Sea Turtle Grants Program. The Sea Turtle Grants Program,...
Goodbye Mr. T! Mote to track rehabilitated loggerhead sea turtle
It's not goodbye, it's see you later Although we don't want to see Mr. T, a recently rehabilitated turtle, in person again, scientists (and members of the public) can "see" him again thanks to an attached satellite transmitter....
Wildlife in World Heritage Site declines after heatwave reduces seagrass
Diverse marine animals from dugongs to sea snakes became rarer in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Shark Bay, Western Australia, after a heat wave devastated the dominant seagrass species, reports a newly published study demonstrating...
Mote’s 33rd Annual Run for the Turtles a huge success
April 6, 2019 – Today, Mote Marine Laboratory’s 33rd Annual Run for the Turtles hosted over 1,000 runners, both on Siesta Key Beach for the 1-mile fun run and Manasota Track Club-Sanctioned 5k and across the globe with the first...
Sea turtle nesting results are in for Longboat Key through Venice
Sea turtles laid a near-record number of nests during their 2018 nesting season on Longboat Key through Venice, Florida, report Mote Marine Laboratory scientists who have monitored this stretch of nesting beaches for 37 years. A...
Mote thanks Bank of America for red tide research support
Mote Marine Laboratory thanks Bank of America for a $15,000 grant awarded Saturday, Sept. 15, to aid Mote’s research efforts focused on Florida red tide. The current bloom of Florida red tide, Karenia brevis algae, has...
Satellite tagged sea turtle released from Lido Beach
Mote Marine Laboratory scientists tagged an adult male loggerhead sea turtle nicknamed “Intrepid” with a satellite transmitter and released him this morning, July 27 from Lido Beach, Sarasota County, as part of a conservation-focused...
Sea turtle nest damaged by suspected poachers on Nokomis Beach
By Miguel Montalvo A sea turtle nest was damaged July 5 on Nokomis Beach by suspected poachers; three individuals dug into a nest marked with stakes and left one broken egg on its surface. It is not clear whether they took...
Sea turtle nests damaged by vehicle on Siesta Key, Florida
Media contacts: Mote: Hayley Rutger, 941-374-0081, hrutger@mote.org FWC: Brian Norris, 239-841-9037, Brian.norris@myfwc.com -- Eight sea turtle nests were run over by a small vehicle – and seven had their marking stakes dislodged...
Mote releases green sea turtle off Anna Maria Island
Mote Marine Laboratory released a juvenile green sea turtle named “Shoshi” off Anna Maria Island Thursday morning, May 10. Members of Anna Maria Turtle Watch and beach-goers cheered on little Shoshi as it made its way back into...
Mote Marine Laboratory documents first sea turtle nests of 2018 on Longboat Key
The first local sea turtle nests of 2018 were discovered today by Mote Marine Laboratory’s Sea Turtle Patrol, a team of scientists, interns and approximately 300 volunteers who monitor nesting activity on Longboat Key through Venice...
Intense red tide can threaten stone crabs, and more research is needed
Florida red tide algae toxins can stress and even kill sublegal stone crabs — young adults whose claws are growing toward legal harvest size — according to preliminary research results published recently in the scientific journal...
Mote’s sea turtle 5K draws more than 1,000 to Siesta Beach
More than 1,000 runners and walkers hit the beach to help endangered and threatened sea turtles during Mote Marine Laboratory’s 32nd annual Run for the Turtles today, April 7, on Siesta Public Beach. (Race results below). The...
Mascot race ‘warms up’ community for Mote’s Run for the Turtles
On March 6, a bull, cat, cow, pirate, sea turtle, shark and shoe — all costumed mascots —raced on Siesta Key to raise awareness for Mote Marine Laboratory’s Run for the Turtles. This year was not a close race due to the University...
End-of-year news release: SEA you in 2018!
Mote science, sustainability and service grow in 2017 In 2017, Mote Marine Laboratory’s research and education programs took on some of the oceans’ toughest challenges and set the stage for decades of discovery and positive...
Longboat Key Turtle Watch donates nearly $10,000 to Mote’s Sea Turtle & Education Programs
On Monday, Dec. 11, 2017, members of the Longboat Key Turtle Watch (LBKTW) donated more than $9,770 to help advance Mote Marine Laboratory’s education and sea turtle programs. This year the funds for Mote will be distributed among...
Beach furniture affects nesting turtles in Southwest Florida
Mote Marine Laboratory found evidence that two nesting sea turtles dragged beach furniture caught on their upper shells during the past week on Longboat Key — a reminder that southwest Floridians should remove beach furniture at...
April 5 sea turtle / lighting workshops on Longboat Key and Venice
Sea turtle nesting season starts May 1 in southwest Florida — are you ready to keep your beaches turtle-friendly? Learn why sea turtles dig the dark and how to minimize artificial light along their nesting beaches during two April...
April 29: Annual Seagrass Survey to connect the public with Sarasota Bay
Join Mote Marine Laboratory scientists as they participate in the Sarasota County Seagrass Survey, in coordination with the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (SBEP). This free, family-friendly event will take place on April 29 at the Sarasota...
Longboat Key Turtle Watch supports Mote’s sea turtle & education programs
On Monday, Dec. 12, 2016, members of the Longboat Key Turtle Watch (LBKTW) donated $8,405 to help advance Mote Marine Laboratory’s education and sea turtle programs, and presented the Town of Longboat Key with a donation as well. The...