Duration
3 months
2025
Conservation
Solutions
An engaging educational experience that connects the public with ongoing sea turtle research.
Product Overview
The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) has long been at the forefront of sea turtle research and conservation. Through satellite telemetry, researchers are able to better understand the movements, habitat use, and migration patterns of loggerhead sea turtles after they leave Sanibel’s beaches.
In 2025, Hammerhead Technology partnered with SCCF to launch the SCCF Sea Turtle Tracker, an interactive web platform that safely shares the journeys of tagged sea turtles with the public while protecting sensitive wildlife location data. Following a successful first season, the platform has continued to grow alongside SCCF’s research efforts. In 2026, five additional loggerhead sea turtles were tagged and added to the tracker, expanding the educational experience and allowing supporters to follow even more remarkable migration journeys.
The Turtle Tracker transforms scientific research into an engaging public experience, strengthening the connection between conservation science and the community.
Satellite tracking provides invaluable scientific information, but sharing that data with the public requires balancing education with wildlife protection.
SCCF needed a platform that would:
Safely share sea turtle movements without exposing sensitive real-time locations.
Present complex tracking data in an engaging and accessible format.
Grow alongside SCCF’s ongoing sea turtle research program.
Hammerhead Technology developed a customized implementation of the HammerTrack platform tailored specifically to SCCF’s conservation and public engagement goals.
The platform combines delayed satellite telemetry, interactive mapping, individual turtle profiles, educational content, and secure administrative tools into a seamless experience that allows visitors to follow the incredible journeys of Sanibel’s sea turtles while ensuring sensitive wildlife data remains protected.
Researchers maintain complete control over data management while providing residents, visitors, students, and supporters with a unique opportunity to engage with ongoing conservation efforts.
Key Features
Interactive Tracking Map: Follow each tagged sea turtle through an intuitive interactive map that visualizes migration routes and movement over time.
Individual Turtle Profiles: Learn about each turtle’s story, tagging history, nesting information, and conservation significance.
Delayed Location Updates: Location data is intentionally delayed to protect sea turtles and support responsible wildlife management.
Conservation Education: Educational content provides visitors with insight into sea turtle biology, migration, nesting behavior, and SCCF’s research program.
Administrative Management: A secure administrative portal allows researchers to manage turtle profiles, tracking data, and platform content efficiently.
Outcome
The SCCF Sea Turtle Tracker has transformed satellite telemetry into an engaging educational experience that connects the public with ongoing sea turtle research.
Supporters can follow individual turtles, explore their migration journeys, and gain a deeper understanding of marine conservation through an intuitive, interactive platform. At the same time, SCCF maintains complete control over sensitive tracking information, ensuring wildlife protection remains the highest priority.
What began as a platform to share the journeys of a small group of tagged sea turtles has evolved into an ongoing public engagement initiative that continues to grow alongside SCCF’s research program.
Since launching in 2025, the Turtle Tracker has expanded with each new tagging season. In 2026, five additional loggerhead sea turtles were added to the platform, allowing the community to follow new migration stories while continuing to safeguard sensitive wildlife data through delayed tracking.
By transforming scientific telemetry into compelling storytelling, the platform strengthens the connection between SCCF’s research and the community. Each turtle becomes an ambassador for marine conservation, inspiring curiosity, increasing public awareness, and encouraging continued support for sea turtle research and habitat protection.
As additional turtles are tagged in future seasons, the platform will continue serving as a living resource that grows alongside SCCF’s long-term conservation efforts.