Protect the Nest
Donations for the 2026 nesting season are open! Your personalized plaque will be placed on a nest in 2026. After it hatches, we’ll mail your plaque to keep.
Thank you for your support!
About Protect the Nest 2026
In Pinellas County, FL, sea turtle nesting season is May–Oct. Our beaches are nesting sites for loggerheads, green sea turtles, and the critically endangered Kemp’s ridley. Only about 1 in 1,000 hatchlings survive to adulthood. With our dense population, artificial lighting often causes hatchling disorientation, and we also protect nests from predators and beachgoers. CMA monitors about 21 miles of beach daily to help protect nesting turtles and hatchlings.
By donating and protecting a sea turtle nest, you are making a difference for generations of sea turtles to come.
Activity
All marine turtle footage taken in Florida was obtained with the approval of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) under conditions not harmful to marine turtles. Footage was acquired while conducting authorized conservation activities pursuant to FWC MTP-19/20-263.
In accordance with Florida Statute 379.1026, the exact location of your nest cannot be released. This law ensures the protection of your nest(s) from increased human disturbances that could be associated with public disclosure of the site.