Doc, the Olive Ridley

Doc is an olive ridley sea turtle that was encountered at our St. Lucie Site on January 3^rd, 2023. Named in honor of our late board member Llewellyn “Doc” Ehrhart, this turtle is the second olive ridley we have encountered and one of the very few healthy turtles of its species to be seen in Florida. Typically, olive ridleys are found in tropical and subtropical regions in the Pacific and Indian Oceans as well as the Southern Atlantic Ocean. Before release, Doc received a satellite tag thanks to our partners at Loggerhead Marinelife Center and Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. The tag is expected to stay adhered and transmit Doc’s location for several months. To follow along with Doc’s journey, see the map below!

Note: If you notice Doc tracking on land, it’s due to the reception of her tag. Rest assured; she is in the water where she belongs.

Jasper, the Olive Ridley

Jasper was originally encountered at our St. Lucie Site on May 11, 2019 and released later that day.  Olive ridley sea turtles are a rare occurrence in Florida and only a handful have been documented over the decades.  Based on his carapace length, Jasper was deemed an adult and due to his tail length, a male. He weighed roughly 67 lbs and had a very healthy body condition.  Because of this, Jasper was a great candidate for a satellite tag, which was applied in collaboration with Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.  The tag is no longer transmitting location information. Jasper’s last known location was off the coast of North Carolina on July 17, 2019. See the map below for Jasper’s full track!

Note: If you notice Jasper tracking on land, it’s due to the reception of his tag.  Rest assured, he is in the water where he belongs.