SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium's Turtle Rescue Adventure

Turtle Rescue Adventure 

If you're searching for an unforgettable, family-friendly adventure in Orlando, SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium has you covered! From February 7th to March 28th, the Turtle Rescue Adventure is making waves, inviting sea turtle rescuers of all ages to embark on a journey to learn about and connect with some of the ocean’s most fascinating animals—sea turtles! Come face-to-flipper with these incredible animals and learn how you can help protect sea turtles and keep their natural habitats safe. 

SEA LIFE’s Turtle Rescue Adventure is filled with interactive fun, conservation stories, and hands-on activities that are sure to leave you smiling and empowered to make a difference. During this adventure, you'll come face-to-flipper with our sea turtles, including our loggerhead, kemp’s ridley, and green sea turtles, while learning how to help protect them and their natural habitats. It’s an experience that promises to be both fun and inspiring! 

Turtle Rescue Activity Patrol Book: Join the Mission 

Turtles are under threat and we need your help! Grab a patrol book and join our turtle rescue mission and become honorary members of the turtle rescue team. Your mission? Choose a species of turtle to save and document their rescue story as you make your way through the aquarium. At each of our interactive rescue stations, you’ll learn new FIN facts about turtles from our education team and can participate in an interactive activity to learn more about these flipper-iffic animals! Once you’ve completed your rescue mission, you can collect your official sea turtle rescuer certificate, become a SEA LIFE Turtle Rescuer, and help teach others about the importance of sea turtle conservation! 

Meet Doc Shelby 

Once you’ve embarked on your turtle rescue adventure, meet the turtle-y awesome, Doc Shelby! Share your findings and learn all about her passion for rescue and release programs – even some programs that you can get involved in here in Florida. 

During your visit, you’ll hear Doc Shelby’s story and learn how she discovered her love for protecting sea turtles. She’ll share tips on how you can get involved in conservation efforts at home and provide deeper insights into the challenges facing these incredible animals. It’s a wonderful opportunity to ask questions, share your patrol book findings, and leave feeling inspired to take action. 

How to Protect Turtles at Home 

The Turtle Rescue Adventure will also equip you with the knowledge and tools to continue making a difference long after your visit to SEA LIFE. Even if you’re not a marine biologist or you don’t live near the ocean, there are plenty of ways you can help protect sea turtles from anywhere in the world! Check out these turtle-y awesome ways you can help protect marine life from your own backyard. 

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 

Instead of using single-use plastic, opt for reusable options for water bottles, straws, or bags. Single-use plastic that ends up in the ocean can easily be mistaken for food by an unsuspecting sea turtle! Shopping bags are one of the biggest threats to sea turtles because they can look like jellyfish under water, which is why it is so important to find reusable alternatives. You can even challenge your friends and family to see how long they can avoid single-use plastic and compete to see who can go the longest. 

Host a Local Cleanup 

Gathering friends and family to clean up a local beach or waterway is a FIN-tastic way to protect sea turtles! Litter is a big problem for sea turtles and other marine life, so cleaning a local beach, river, lake, or even your neighborhood is a very helpful way to help ensure that no trash ends up in our oceans and gets mistaken for food. You can even have a friendly competition to see who can collect the most trash or who can find the largest piece! Every piece of trash collected means one less piece that makes its way to the ocean. 

Choose Ocean-Friendly Products 

Small choices every day can make a BIG difference! Swapping products we use every day for more sustainable options can help protect sea turtles and other marine species without making big changes to your routine! For example, choose a reef-safe sunscreen when going swimming, switch to sustainable paper products, or choose sustainable seafood when it’s time for dinner. You can even use this helpful Seafood Watch guide to learn about responsible seafood options by species or by region! 

Support Sea Turtle Conservation Groups 

There are countless organizations around the world dedicated to protecting marine life and preserving our oceans. The SEA LIFE Trust has 16 global conservation projects dedicated to protecting sea turtles, coral reefs, seals, and so much more! There are plenty of groups fighting to preserve our oceans and they are always looking for help! Find an organization with a mission you believe in and make a donation, volunteer for a local event, or help spread the word about their important mission. 

Use Your Voice 

Education is the most powerful tool for conservation! Take the knowledge that you’ve learned through visiting AZA accredited facilities like SEA LIFE Orlando and spread the word to friends, family, neighbors, and classmates to help educate them about the importance of protecting our oceans. Encourage others in your community to get involved and join the mission of conservation! Inspiring just one other person to make small changes to help preserve our oceans can make a world of difference for the animals that live there. Every choice, no matter how small, has a ripple effect that goes beyond what we can see immediately. That’s why making environmentally conscious decisions, getting involved with sea turtle rescue organizations, and helping spread knowledge about the importance of protecting marine life is so important.  

SEA LIFE’s Turtle Rescue Adventure is more than just a fun day at the aquarium – it's a call to action. Take the knowledge you gain from your visit and use it to inspire others to get involved in the fight to protect marine life around the world. Together, we can create and sustain a bright future for these incredible animals.