Hawksbill Sea Turtle Research
U.S. Virgin Islands
An exciting opportunity to be involved in hands on research and experience first hand
This project seeks to explore the abundance, distribution, and population structure of Hawksbill Sea Turtles in the waters of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Snorkeling and/or scuba diving surveys will be conducted to identify key underwater habitats for resident populations, and hand-captured turtles will be temporarily retained aboard the vessel for sampling and tagging procedures.
Due to their unique diet of sponges, highly endangered Hawksbill Sea Turtles are critical to the health of coral reef communities. In response to a lack of information concerning this species in the Virgin Islands, long-time Florida-based hawksbill researcher Dr. Larry Wood and his team have partnered with local researchers and conservationists to initiate a multi-year effort to document the whereabouts and population structure of hawksbills in the Territory, which is necessary to facilitate the long-term regional recovery of their severely depleted populations.
LOCATIONS
Reefs and nearshore environments surrounding St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
DATES & BERTHS
May - October 2026
2 - 5 days
Berths: 2-6 people (opportunities for research team to stay shore)
NECESSARY EQUIPMENT
SCUBA gear
Open transom dive platform/ tuna door
Open deck space
Freezer
Calm conditions
PROJECT LEADER
Dr. Larry Wood has 30+ years leading sea turtle experience and rehabilitation, currently serving at CEO of National Save the Turtle Foundation and founder of Florida Hawksbill project. Dr. Wood has published numerous studies on sea turtle biology and has focused primarily on Hawksbill sea turtle research in Florida, USA. Dr. Wood has extensive diving experience in both Florida and St. Croix.
SURVEY METHODS
Teams of 2-10 volunteer snorkelers/divers/on deck assistants will conduct up to four coordinated surveys per day along coral reefs located in 5-25m of water. Hawksbill turtles will be opportunistically hand-captured and transferred to the vessel for a series of tagging and sampling procedures, after which they will be released at the site of capture. Due to the size of adult hawksbills (~70 kg), an open transom or other unobstructed access to the deck is required to bring the larger turtles aboard.