You can help protect Florida's endangered and threatened marine turtles by making a donation to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Your donation will help fund research at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute and conservation efforts by the Imperiled Species Management Section. With each donation of five dollars or more, you will receive your choice of one of the waterproof decals featured. Current year marine turtle decals are available at Florida County Tax Offices.
FWC has a limited supply of some of the earlier decals. We would like to offer them to individuals who are interested in collecting them. Please indicate the decals you would like to obtain by checking the appropriate area on the order form and sending a check for the number of decals selected. The decals will be sent to you within 4-6 weeks.
The Green Sea Turtle
The Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) is Florida’s largest “hard-shell” sea turtle, weighing approximately 350 pounds as an adult. Its typical shell coloration is olive-brown with darker streaks. Adult and juvenile green turtles occur in many Florida coastal habitats, including nearshore reefs and estuarine seagrass beds. Females emerge onto Florida’s sandy beaches at night to nest from June through October; baby sea turtles, or hatchlings, also emerge from their nests at night. Sea turtles trying to return to the ocean at night can be confused by oceanfront lights, which pose a significant risk to both adults and hatchlings. During the 2011 nesting season, a total of 15,352 green sea turtle nests were documented on Florida’s Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico beaches – the highest nest count in 20 years!
Artwork of green sea turtle hatchling by Lizabeth West, FWC.
Previous Years Decals
Persons with Disabilities