What started as a vision in 2015 has grown into a decade of dedication, innovation, and ocean conservation.
Cheers to 10 incredible years since the Sea Turtle Hospital at UF Whitney Laboratory first opened its doors on October 24, 2015! Their mission has remained the same since day one — to provide rehabilitation, education, and research that support sea turtle conservation in Northeast Florida.
In the past decade, their dedicated team has cared for:
- 1,054 subadult and juvenile sea turtles — including green, loggerhead, and Kemp’s ridley turtles
- 1,378 hatchlings — including leatherbacks, greens, loggerheads, and Kemp’s ridleys
- 1,093 post-hatchlings (“washbacks”) — including greens, loggerheads, and Kemp’s ridleys
Each one of these turtles represents a story of resilience, recovery, and hope.
Thank you to the staff, volunteers, partners, and community for helping them reach this milestone — and for continuing this mission of saving sea turtles, one shell at a time.
How it All Began
From humble beginnings to today’s thriving hospital and team, the story is one of passion, community, and a deep commitment to protecting sea turtles.
The origins of the Sea Turtle Hospital date back to the mid-2000s, when Catherine Eastman’s passion for sea turtle conservation and her concern for the increasing prevalence of fibropapillomatosis (FP) sparked an idea that would soon grow into something remarkable.
On March 13, 2013, Catherine joined forces with Nancy Condron and former Whitney Lab Board of Trustee Marcella Matthaei to meet with then Director Dr. Mark Q. Martindale—and together, they proposed the creation of a sea turtle research, rehabilitation, and education facility.
What began as a vision soon took shape within unused space at the University of Florida’s Whitney Laboratory—transforming it into a one-of-a-kind hospital located within a marine research institute. This collaboration became a cornerstone of our mission to blend science, conservation, and education.
The original space included a treatment and surgery suite, commissary, laundry/X-ray room, and a deck with four rehabilitation tanks—each with its own life support system. Thanks to private funding and the Sea Turtle "License Plate" Grants Program, this vision became reality.
What started as a simple conversation between two friends walking the beach during morning turtle survey has grown into an outstanding rehabilitation center that provides world-class medical care using specialized equipment like X-ray, endoscope, and CO₂ surgical and therapeutic lasers to treat fibropapillomatosis (FP) tumors, boat strikes, cold-stunning, swallowed fishhooks, and fishing gear entanglements.
Spotlighting the people who make the Sea Turtle Hospital’s mission possible — the backbone of the hospital since the very beginning.
- Program Manager, Cat Eastman
- Veterinarian, Dr. Brooke Burkhalter
- Hospital Manager, Devon Rollinson-Ramia
These three have been part of the Sea Turtle Hospital family since 2013 — years before doors officially opened! Their dedication, passion, and leadership were instrumental in bringing the hospital to life — from developing protocols and designing workflows to securing the permits that allowed sea turtle rehabilitation to begin.
In the years since, the team has continued to grow!
Animal Care Technicians, Kaylee Hargis and Leah Adelmann, joined within the past five years to assist with all aspects of animal care — from daily husbandry and feeding to supporting the medical side of rehabilitation. Their hard work and commitment have strengthened the program and expanded the ability to care for more sea turtles in need.
Volunteers are the heart (and hands!) of the Sea Turtle Hospital - from cleaning tanks and preparing diets to assisting with turtle treatments and releases, their dedication fuels the mission every single day. These incredible individuals have donated thousands of hours over the past decade ensuring every patient receives the best possible care.
And Now…What’s Next?
The new hospital is on the horizon!
From expanded rehabilitation space to new research initiatives, the next decade will be filled with innovation, collaboration, and continued dedication to sea turtle conservation.
Here’s to the next chapter and to every turtle that has shared their story with them along the way!
The Sea Turtle Hospital Celebrated 10 Years with a Pop Up Open House! Visitors stepped into the original Sea Turtle Hospital one last time before the big move into the new facility.
