To promote conservation of ocean ecosystems with a special focus on threatened and endangered sea turtles.
Sea turtles face numerous risks that threaten their survival, primarily due to human activities. Habitat loss from coastal development, pollution, and climate change significantly impacts their nesting and feeding grounds.
Sea turtle conservation is vital for maintaining healthy marine ecosystems. These ancient creatures play critical roles, such as maintaining seagrass beds and coral reefs, which provide habitat for other marine life. Protecting sea turtles also preserves the biodiversity of our oceans, supporting the balance and productivity of marine food webs.
Why Sea Turtles Matter
Ecosystem health
Sea turtles help maintain healthy seagrass beds and coral reefs, which are critical habitats for many marine species.
Nutrient Cycling
Through their nesting activities, sea turtles transport essential nutrients from the ocean to coastal ecosystems, supporting plant growth and dune stabilization.
Biodiversity & Ocean Health
Sea turtles are indicators of marine environmental health, and their conservation helps protect the overall biodiversity and balance of oceanic ecosystems.
How you can get involved!
The Team
Andy Dehart
President and CEO
Justin Perrault
Vice President of Research, PhD.
Dr. Barron
Chief Science Officer, Veterinarian DVM, DABVP, CertAqV
Hannah Campbell
Vice President of Education
Where we Started
40 years ago, long-time Juno Beach resident Eleanor Fletcher started what is now Loggerhead Marinelife Center. She began some of the earliest research on sea turtles in our area. Juno Beach is now recognized as one of the most active nesting beaches in the world! Eleanor became known as “The Turtle Lady” throughout the area. Eleanor decided that educating children about the sea turtles and the need for conservation and protection was the best hope for the sea turtles to survive over the long term.
In 1983 the Children’s Museum of Juno Beach was incorporated, moving into what had been an old home in Loggerhead Park, thanks to the County’s Department of Parks and Recreation. Reflecting an expanded mission, the name was changed to The Marinelife Center of Juno Beach in 1990. The Center now hosts thousands of school children each year through field trips, outreach programs, summer camp and other educational experiences. In addition, more than 300,000 visitors come to the center each year to see the exhibits and the sea turtle hospital.
In April 2007, the organization relocated to a new 12,000 square foot certified “green” facility and changed its name to Loggerhead Marinelife Center. The new facility included a state-of-the-art full service veterinary hospital, exhibit hall, outdoor classroom, research lab, and resource center. In March 2022, the Center opened it’s newly expanded campus more than doubling the existing footprint. Increased capacity to 26 sea turtle hospital tanks, new aquarium habitats highlighting the ocean ecosystems, an immersive digital reef exhibit in One Ocean Hall, Gordon & Patricia Gray Auditorium, new multi-purpose rooms and the Oceanview Sky Deck are some of the features of the expanded campus.
The Science
LMC’s research department has one of the longest-running sea turtle monitoring programs in the state of Florida. The program officially began when LMC founder Eleanor Fletcher received her permit from the state of Florida in 1969. Each season, the research team documents all sea turtle activities from March – October along 9.5 miles of beach from the northern Palm Beach County line south to John D. MacArthur Beach State Park.