Contribute as little as one dollar to help ensure future generations can witness sea turtles thriving in their natural habitats.
The Billion Baby Turtles Campaign is a worldwide effort to halt and reverse the decline of endangered sea turtles. Launched by SEE Turtles, the campaign’s immediate target is to raise $50,000 to protect 50,000 hatchlings through the end of 2013, with plans to expand conservation goals in subsequent years.
Six of the seven sea turtle species are currently classified as endangered or threatened. Major threats include egg poaching and accidental capture in fishing gear. Over the past four years, SEE Turtles has helped protect more than 30,000 hatchlings at nesting beaches in El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. These efforts have included work with hawksbill turtles in the Eastern Pacific—one of the most imperiled sea turtle populations—and critically endangered leatherback turtles in Costa Rica.
“Odds are long for a baby sea turtle, even under the best of circumstances, but with all the human activities added to the mix, survival is a challenge,” said Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, an ocean conservationist. “Survival to maturity may be as low as one in a thousand.”
Donations to the Billion Baby Turtles Campaign support on-the-ground protection at nesting sites, community education to reduce poaching, and measures to prevent turtles from becoming entangled in fishing gear. Small contributions fund nest monitoring, secure hatcheries, and community-led patrols that directly increase hatchling survival rates. By supporting local conservation partners, the campaign amplifies efforts that safeguard nesting beaches and promote sustainable practices among coastal communities.
Protecting hatchlings not only helps individual sea turtle populations but also supports the broader marine ecosystem. Sea turtles play key roles in nutrient cycling and maintaining healthy seagrass beds and coral reefs. Safeguarding their early life stages strengthens these ecosystems and contributes to marine biodiversity.
Participating in the campaign is straightforward: donations of any size can be made to support specific nesting projects, and many contributions are pooled to fund patrols, nest relocation when necessary, and public outreach. Engaging local communities and fostering stewardship are central to long-term success, turning short-term protection into sustained conservation outcomes.
Even modest support can have a measurable impact. Protecting a single nest can yield dozens or hundreds of hatchlings that have a chance to reach the ocean. Collective action—whether through one-dollar donations or larger gifts—helps create safer nesting beaches and increases the odds that more hatchlings will survive to maturity.
To help preserve sea turtles for future travelers and coastal communities, consider supporting initiatives like the Billion Baby Turtles Campaign. Your contribution supports proven conservation methods on the ground and helps ensure these remarkable animals continue to exist in the wild.