Loggerhead Marinelife Center

Juno Beach is renowned for its commitment to environmental preservation and conservation. The area is home to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center, a renowned sea turtle rehabilitation and research facility. Visitors can learn about these magnificent creatures, witness nesting turtles (during the nesting season), and even participate in guided turtle walks.

Discover the Delights of Tortuga Café at Loggerhead Marinelife Center

If you're looking for a quick bite to eat while visiting the Loggerhead Marinelife Center, make sure to stop by the Tortuga Café. Located on the mezzanine level, directly behind the Mangrove exhibit, the café serves a variety of food options, including sandwiches, salads, pizza, hot dogs, pretzels, popcorn, and more. On those hot summer days, cool down with our wide selection of ice cream treats and beverages.

Additionally, our expanded campus now offers new areas for you to sit back and relax. Check out our high top area with a beautiful view overlooking the Caribbean Reef Tank, or head over to the Tortuga Terrace to enjoy your snacks while taking in the breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean.

Juno Beach is known for the many sea turtles that nest there each summer.

Between May and October, hundreds of thousands of eggs are laid on its sandy shores. And by early fall, these turtle hatchlings will scuttle their way into the Atlantic Ocean.

In the latter part of the 1980s, North Palm Beach County Beaches witnessed nesting by leatherback sea turtles. Over time, the number of nests on LMCmonitored beaches increased. However, in the past five years, there has been a decline in the number of nests, a phenomenon also observed in other western Atlantic Ocean nesting populations. The root cause of this decline remains unclear but could be attributed to increased human-related mortality, reduced nesting habitats, or alterations in remigration frequency or reproductive output.

Loggerhead Marinelife Center

These short-term trends are problematic, but in 2019, nest numbers have increased over the two previous nesting seasons. Palm Beach County beaches account for ~30% of leatherback nests in the state of Florida, making these beaches a nesting habitat for leatherback turtles.

Continuing long-term data collection is essential in determining the health of this population Therefore, understanding what is happening on these beaches is critical to understanding the Atlantic leatherback population. LMC's Research Laboratory has formed numerous partnerships with individuals and agencies to conduct cutting-edge research on these endangered animals in recent years.

Thanks to the hard work and commitment to the health of our turtles, we would like to say a special shoutout to the Loggerhead Marine Life Center. For a small donation, your family can enjoy these beautiful creatures up close and help those who care for them every day.