The Caretta Research Project is a hands-on research, conservation and education program that protects the threatened loggerhead sea turtles that nest on Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge.

Two aspects of the Caretta Research Project (CRP) make it unique and extremely worthwhile. First, the CRP is one of the longest running loggerhead research organizations engaged in saturation tagging and has amassed 44 years of data, which has proved invaluable to helping coastal managers establish necessary conservation practices. As a result, the CRP is regularly sought out by research institutions to collaborate on research projects.

Second, the CRP has a longstanding commitment to education and community involvement, and the bulk of the labor required to patrol at night for nesting turtles, to protect their nests from predators, and collect data for research is performed by volunteers. This is critical for increasing public awareness and appreciation of the value of scientific research in conservation and management.

CRP volunteers are also directly involved with saving sea turtles by protecting eggs and hatchlings that would otherwise have been lost. Most importantly, they return to their hometowns with the knowledge and experience to be ambassadors for our world’s sea turtles.