Bald Head Island Conservancy

Adopt-a-Turtle

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Adopt-A-Turtle Program

Support our sea turtle protection program and become involved by “adopting” a turtle!

Adopt-a-Hatchling | $60

bhic adopt hatcling sea turtle protection program

Your adoption supports a sea turtle hatchling born on one of our beaches on Bald Head Island. In adopting, you get the chance to be an important part of our Sea Turtle Protection Team and sea turtle conservation. As an Adopt-a-Hatchling parent, you will receive a 6 inch plush hatchling, photo and info card, certificate, and sticker.

Adopt-a-Nest | $250

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Your adoption supports a sea turtle nest laid on one of our beaches on Bald Head Island. In adopting, you get the chance to be an important part of our Sea Turtle Protection Team and the chance to be inside the ropes for a nest excavation and potentially watch hatchlings make it to the ocean! Your nest’s cage will feature a sign with the adoptive parent’s name throughout the duration of its incubation period (45-70 days). You will receive a notification once your nest has been laid, and an invitation from our Sea Turtle Protection Team to the excavation of your nest three days after hatching (both via email). At the end of the sea turtle nesting season, an in-depth summary of the season will be sent to you by our Sea Turtle Biologist, Paul Hillbrand.

Adopt-a-Mom | $550

bhic adopt turtle mom sea turtle protection program

Your adoption supports a sea turtle who nests on one of our beaches on Bald Head Island. In adopting, you get the chance to be an important part of our Sea Turtle Protection Team and the chance to be inside the ropes for ALL excavations of nests laid by your adopted mom. Each nest laid by your adopted mom will feature a sign with the adoptive parent’s name throughout the duration of its incubation period (45-70 days). You will receive a notification when each nest has been laid, and an invitation from our Sea Turtle Protection Team to the excavation of each nest three days after hatching (both via email), as well as a birth announcement for each nest detailing the hatch date and success of the nest. At the end of the sea turtle nesting season, an in-depth summary of your adopted mom’s season will be sent to you by our Sea Turtle Biologist, Paul Hillbrand. 

Adopt-a-Legacy | $4000/$5000

bhic adopt legacy sea turtle protection program

Legacy sea turtles are the moms who repeatedly nest on Bald Head Island beaches. As an adoptive parent, you receive the opportunity to symbolically name an identified individual turtle. Your adopted turtle will have this given name forever, or as long as we document her on Bald Head Island. You will receive a personalized letter detailing the known history of your turtle: when she was tagged, her tag info, and how many years she has been documented nesting on Bald Head Island. You will be notified every year that your turtle returns to nest on Bald Head Island, and receive birth announcements and invitations to excavations for each nest. At the end of each season that she nests, you will receive an in-depth summary of your Legacy’s season from our Sea Turtle Biologist, Paul Hillbrand.

CONTACT shank@bhic.org for details

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