Adopt A Sea Turtle

Do you want to help the sea turtles? Are you looking for that special gift? When you symbolically "adopt" a sea turtle, your purchase provides funds to buy food and medicine. This in turn helps them heal and return home. Adopt one for yourself or give one as a gift to someone you love. Adoptions are also great activities for school classes or community fundraisers. Gift adoptions are shipped to your destination of choice along with a card acknowledging your generous gift.
MARCH ADOPTION SPECIAL!! FREE 2023 KBSTRRC CALENDAR
Every March adoption comes with a 2023 KBSTRRC Calendar featuring full color photos of current and recent patients, photos from the beach, and fun facts about turtles and our work. Get yours while supplies last!
Each adoption comes with a photo of your adopted turtle, an official Adoption Certificate, a species Information Card and other gifts. Please see below for a description of the different Adoption Levels.
*Our goal is to be able to return each sea turtle patient to the wild. Please understand that when your adopted turtle has been fully rehabilitated, it will be released.
MARCH ADOPTION SPECIAL!! FREE 2023 KBSTRRC CALENDAR
Every March adoption comes with a 2023 KBSTRRC Calendar featuring full color photos of current and recent patients, photos from the beach, and fun facts about turtles and our work. Get yours while supplies last!
Each adoption comes with a photo of your adopted turtle, an official Adoption Certificate, a species Information Card and other gifts. Please see below for a description of the different Adoption Levels.
*Our goal is to be able to return each sea turtle patient to the wild. Please understand that when your adopted turtle has been fully rehabilitated, it will be released.

Just in time for February, check out our Valentine's Day special - each Valentine's Day gift comes with a special Valentine's Adoption Certificate and a set of our special postcards!
- All Adoption packages are shipped via USPS.
- To pay by check and mail in your adoption, download and print out the Adoption Form. Please allow 1-2 weeks for processing and delivery.
- Questions? Email us at [email protected] .
Who's Available For Adoption?
Lennie
Lennie is an adult Kemp’s Ridley who was admitted on 10/18/2006. She was found between Topsail Island and Beaufort (NC) suffering from blunt force trauma to the skull resulting in permanent blindness. Her current weight is 64 lbs; she is between 18-20 years old. Lennie is a permanent resident. |
Snooki
Snooki is a very large female Loggerhead sea turtle admitted on 10/30/16. Snooki stranded multiple times along the beach in Avalon, NJ until her rescue by the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, NJ. The reasons for her stranding are unclear. She has "positive buoyancy syndrome" that prevents her from staying submerged. Because sea turtles need to feed and sleep on the bottom she cannot be released at this time. Snooki weighs 310 lbs and is 25-30 years old. |
Kaia
Kaia is a sub-adult Kemp’s Ridley who was admitted on 11/4/2020. She was caught on a fishhook off of the Surf City (NC) Pier. Missing her beak point and posterior pieces of her carapace, she also had other areas of her shell that were unstable. They have since healed, but she developed osteoarthritis possibly due to cold stunning. Kaia is being treated with antibiotics. She weighs 25.8 lbs. |
Pixie Dust
Pixie Dust is a juvenile green sea turtle that came to us on December 22, 2022 after being cold stunned on Cape Lookout, NC. Pixie also had severe wounds to her carapace (upper shell) and plastron, which were treated with antibiotics and topical honey treatment. The first photo below shows her progress from December 22, 2022 to February 3, 2023 and the second comparison shows her progress from January 27, 2023 to February 3, 2023. What a difference one week makes! Our Adoption photo (left) shows Pixie during a honey treatment. Today, Pixie is in Sea Turtle Bay and is no longer receiving daily treatments. |