Sea Turtle, Inc.
Sea Turtle, Inc. protects sea turtles on South Padre Island, Texas, through conservation, medical care, applied research and education. Its more than 15,000-square-foot sea turtle hospital - the largest enclosed sea turtle hospital in the world - treats more than 100 sea turtles each year, and a $6 million education facility, opened in 2018, extends the organization's work to visitors and students.
Sea Turtle, Inc. was founded in 1977 by Ila Fox Loetscher, known as the Turtle Lady of South Padre Island, who began the organization's education and rehabilitation work from her own backyard. Volunteers took a more prominent role in 1995, and the organization relocated to its current home at 6617 Padre Blvd in 1999. With a mission to champion the endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle and a vision of a world with thriving sea turtle populations, Sea Turtle, Inc. works to conserve and revive sea turtle populations worldwide.
