Turtle researchers are not working alone to save turtles. There are many non profit environmental groups working to protect these animals, and most of them are just a mouse click away. The Caribbean Conservation Corporation and Sea Turtle Survival League is one of the best sea turtle organizations in the world. Founded by Archie Carr, it works to enact laws to protect sea turtles and provide sanctuaries for them. It also leads to turtle research in Costa Rica and Florida.Among the group’s many programs is one that a school class could become involved in: The Adopt-a–Turtle program. Your class could hold a fund-raising event with the proceeds going as a donation to the CCC. For this donation, your class will get a membership card and a sea turtle conservation guide and you are entitled to adopt and name a turtle.

CCC researchers tag the turtle with the name you select for it at their research station in Costa Rica. With a “Name your own Turtle Adoption,” you are the only person to adopt that turtle. You are also notified when, or if, researchers spot your turtle again. CCC members can also follow a sea turtle on its migrations on the web. Some named turtles have small satellite transmitters attached to the backs of their shells. By logging onto the site, you can track turtles as they move from foraging grounds to nesting sites.

The watamu Turtle watch ( WTW), in Kenya, Africa, also allows you to adopt green sea turtles through a small donation. This conservation group offers adoptions for turtles just released from local fishing nets. You can even adopt an entire sea turtle nest. The WTW was formed in 1997 to continue the efforts begun in the 1970’s by a local naturalist to conserve marine turtles in the Watamu Marine Park and along the northern shores of a creek.