About the
Sea Turtle Preservation Society
The Full Story
Approximately 90% of sea turtle eggs in the US are laid in Florida. Because of the huge number of sea turtles that nest on area beaches and that forage the Indian River Lagoon, a group of concerned Brevard County citizens, in 1984, formed a grass-roots organization to help protect them. This group, the Sea Turtle Preservation Society (STPS) was incorporated in 1986 as a not-for-profit whose mission statement was simply: “Helping sea turtles survive.”
Brevard County is a very important natural habitat for marine turtles. The county is unique because the Atlantic beaches and the Indian River Lagoon System span its entire 72-mile length. This strategic location serves as a nesting and foraging site for three species of sea turtles: the loggerhead, the green, and the leatherback.
STPS works tirelessly to educate the public about how to protect the sea turtle population and help sick and injured sea turtles that arrive on area beaches throughout the year, particularly during nesting season, which usually runs from May through October.
While STPS serves the needs of the sea turtles throughout Brevard County, two locations are particularly important to sea turtles in our area: The Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge (ACNWF) and The Indian River Lagoon (IRL). Read more about the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge and Indian River Lagoon.
