The Turtle Conservancy has developed a new partnership with the Santa Fe River Turtle Project (SFRTP) in northern Florida. This new partnership will allow TC supporters to directly donate to the SFRTP, ensuring that they have the supplies necessary to sustain their long-term research and conservation work year after year.

The SFRTP is a collaborative effort by scientists, students, and citizens to learn about the turtles inhabiting the Santa Fe River and to promote conservation of the entire Santa Fe River ecosystem. Since 2004 the project has examined, measured, marked, and released more than 10,000 turtles. Over 250 students and citizens have participated in this project during the past 18 years.

The Santa Fe River and its associated spring habitats in northern Florida’s Suwannee River basin are home to 11 native freshwater turtle species, including the endemic Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys suwanniensis). Few places on Earth have as many turtle species living together. In fact, approximately 21 percent of all North American freshwater turtle species inhabit this small river system!

Sadly, these freshwater springs are vulnerable to agricultural pollution, excessive groundwater pumping, destructive recreational activity, and climate change. Better understanding the river and its inhabitants will provide a better chance to protect this one-of-a-kind ecosystem for future generations.

Moving forward the TC will be supporting the work of the SFRTP by promoting their work online and by enabling tax-deductible donations towards their research efforts. To help us support this work please click here, select “Santa Fe River Turtle Project” from the drop-down menu, and make a contribution that will enable them to purchase supplies necessary for their ongoing field work.

In case you missed it, you can read more about the project in last year’s issue of The Tortoise. You can also read more about their work on the SFRTP website. Make sure to follow them on Instagram for frequent updates from the field.