Turtle Conservancy
The Turtle Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating an AZA-accredited 90-acre conservation center in Ojai, California, protecting 65+ endangered turtle and tortoise species through captive breeding, habitat preservation across 17+ countries, research, and education.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersOjai, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Turtle Conservancy does
Turtle Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization founded in 2005 and based in Ojai, California. Its core operational asset is a 90-acre AZA-accredited Conservation Center housing 600+ turtles across assurance colonies representing 40 species, some extinct in the wild. The organization applies a "360° approach" spanning captive breeding, global land conservation, field research, education, and community outreach. It operates in 17+ countries, preserving 70,000+ acres of wildlife habitat and protecting 65+ species through partnerships with organizations including WWF, Conservation International, Re:wild, Rainforest Trust, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Katala Foundation (which has bred 61 Palawan Forest Turtles since 2018 with 40 released to the wild).
The organization holds the Pritchard Collection, the world's third-largest turtle and tortoise natural history collection with 14,000+ specimens covering 270 chelonian species, acquired in 2021 from the estate of Dr. Peter Pritchard. It also conducts targeted field research programs including the Southwestern Pond Turtle Research Program in Ventura County and the Santa Fe River Turtle Project in North Florida, alongside university and high school internship pipelines with Thacher School, Condor High School, and UC Davis.
Revenue is generated through individual donations, an annual membership program (offering Ojai center admission, gift shop discounts, and exclusive benefits), e-commerce sales of merchandise and publications (The Tortoise magazine, the 10th edition Turtles of the World atlas, Turtles in Trouble, The Turtle Crisis) via a Shopify storefront, and a seasonal captive-bred animal adoption program. Leadership includes Board Chair Anders Rhodin (2024 International Sea Turtle Society Lifetime Achievement Award recipient) and Senior Biologist Dr. Ross Kiester (Harvard PhD, 2025 Pritchard Lifetime Achievement Award recipient). A part-time Visitor Experience Guide role at $20/hour indicates ongoing organizational buildout.
Turtle Conservancy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Turtle Conservancy
- Legal name
- Turtle Conservancy
- Website
- https://turtleconservancy.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Turtle Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating an AZA-accredited 90-acre conservation center in Ojai, California, protecting 65+ endangered turtle and tortoise species through captive breeding, habitat preservation across 17+ countries, research, and education.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Turtle Conservancy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wildlife Conservation
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC), Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA), Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI)
Keywords
Where Turtle Conservancy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ojai
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Turtle Conservancy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Donations: Individual donations from supporters worldwide, with 100% of adoption fees supporting conservation programs
- Membership Program: Annual membership offering center admission, gift shop discounts, and exclusive benefits
- E-commerce Sales: Sale of merchandise including apparel, accessories, and publications such as The Tortoise magazine and Turtles of the World atlas
- Adoption Program: Seasonal adoption of captive-bred animals with fees supporting conservation programs
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Apparel items including t-shirts, tank tops, hats |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | TC Boat Bag |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | TC Patch |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Turtles of the World: Annotated Checklist and Atlas (10th ed., 2025) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Turtles in Trouble: The World's Most Endangered Turtles and Tortoises |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | The Turtle Crisis book |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Visitor Experience Guide wage |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Turtle Conservancy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Turtle Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates a 90-acre, AZA-accredited conservation center in Ojai, California, providing care for over 600 turtles across 40 species, including assurance colonies for species extinct in the wild. It supplements captive breeding with global habitat protection across 17+ countries, field research (anchored by the 14,000-specimen Pritchard Collection acquired in 2021), conservation education programs, and community outreach. The organization funds this work through individual donations, an annual membership program, and the sale of branded merchandise and conservation publications.
Product overview
The Turtle Conservancy operates as a single unified conservation organization rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its core offerings center on captive breeding and assurance colony programs at its 90-acre Conservation Center in Ojai, California, complemented by global habitat protection spanning 17+ countries, research initiatives including the Pritchard Collection of 14,000+ specimens, education programs, and community outreach. The organization also operates a retail arm through its Shopify-powered online shop, selling merchandise (clothing, accessories) and publications including The Tortoise Magazine, Turtles of the World, and Turtles in Trouble books.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Conservation Center
Quantifiable outcome
- 65+ species protected globally
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Turtle Conservancy
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Turtle Conservancy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature3 records
Turtle Conservancy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Re:wildcoreConservation partner working on species protection and habitat preservation worldwide
- Rainforest TrustcoreLand conservation partner that helps secure protected areas for wildlife
- Association of Zoos and AquariumscoreProfessional organization providing AZA accreditation and network for member institutions
- Katala FoundationcorePhilippine partner leading Palawan Forest Turtle conservation; has successfully bred species in captivity and released 40 individuals to bolster wild populations
- Conservation InternationalcoreGlobal conservation organization working on biodiversity protection
- World Wildlife FundcoreInternational conservation organization for wildlife and habitat protection
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreFederal agency for wildlife protection and Endangered Species Act enforcement
- Chelonian Research FoundationcorePublishes Chelonian Conservation and Biology journal and supports scientific publications
- Turtle Conservation FundcoreDedicated turtle conservation funding organization
- Tompkins ConservationcoreConservation organization focused on land protection and species recovery
- Turner Endangered Species FundcoreConservation fund supporting endangered species protection efforts
- Durrell Wildlife Conservation TrustcoreInternational wildlife conservation organization
- Fauna & Flora InternationalcoreInternational conservation organization
- San Antonio ZoominorZoo partner for conservation collaboration
- Zoo AtlantaminorZoo partner for conservation collaboration
- Memphis ZoominorZoo partner for conservation collaboration
- Saint Louis ZoominorZoo partner for conservation collaboration
- Lindblad Expeditions | National GeographicminorExploration and travel partner for conservation outreach
- Ojai Valley Land ConservancycoreLocal partner for land conservation in Ojai area including East End Preserve restoration
- Katala Institute for Ecology and Biodiversity ConservationcoreJoint initiative with Palawan Council for Sustainable Development to protect freshwater turtles and pangolins; has successfully bred Palawan Forest Turtles since 2018 with 61 hatched and 40 released to wild
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Turtle Conservancy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Wildlife Conservation Society: A large incumbent operating zoos (Bronx Zoo and others) plus global field conservation programs. Highly comparable in combining AZA-equivalent animal care with international species protection, though at much greater scale.
- Fauna & Flora International: A long-established international conservation NGO with a broader species portfolio. Listed as a Turtle Conservancy partner and operates with similar in-range conservation, habitat protection, and species recovery mechanisms.
- World Wildlife Fund: The largest international wildlife conservation organization. Listed as a strategic partner and shares the wildlife and habitat protection mission, though its portfolio spans far more species and geographies.
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: An AZA-accredited zoo and conservation organization with assurance colony, captive breeding, and international species recovery programs. Highly comparable in operational model combining a zoological park with global field conservation.
- Conservation International: A major global conservation organization focused on biodiversity protection. Listed as a strategic partner and operates comparable international habitat preservation and species conservation programs, albeit at significantly greater scale.
Others
- IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group: The IUCN specialist group responsible for chelonian conservation status assessments and policy. Functions as a scientific/standards body closely aligned with the Turtle Conservancy's mission, and has awarded leadership to key Conservancy figures.
Direct peers
- Turtle Survival Alliance: A direct peer that also focuses specifically on turtle and tortoise conservation through captive breeding and assurance colonies. The Turtle Conservancy hosts the Turtle Survival Alliance's annual Turtle School, indicating deep programmatic overlap in chelonian species recovery.
- Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust: An international wildlife conservation organization with comparable species-recovery programs and conservation center operations. Listed as a strategic partner and operates a similar model of captive breeding combined with in-range field conservation.
- Rainforest Trust: A land conservation partner with a similar model of purchasing and managing protected habitat for endangered species. Directly comparable in the land-preservation arm of the Turtle Conservancy's work, including joint initiatives on turtle habitat.
Emerging players
- Re:wild: A species-and-habitat-focused conservation organization co-founded by conservation leaders. Listed as a strategic partner and operates comparable programs protecting endangered species and restoring habitats.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Turtle Conservancy social profiles
Digital presenceTurtle Conservancy compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Turtle Conservancy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Turtle Conservancy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Turtle Conservancy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Turtle Conservancy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Turtle Conservancy
What does Turtle Conservancy do?
Turtle Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates a 90-acre, AZA-accredited conservation center in Ojai, California, providing care for over 600 turtles across 40 species, including assurance colonies for species extinct in the wild. It supplements captive breeding with global habitat protection across 17+ countries, field research (anchored by the 14,000-specimen Pritchard Collection acquired in 2021), conservation education programs, and community outreach. The organization funds this work through individual donations, an annual membership program, and the sale of branded merchandise and conservation publications.
Is Turtle Conservancy a public or private company?
Turtle Conservancy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Turtle Conservancy founded?
Turtle Conservancy was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Turtle Conservancy based?
Turtle Conservancy is headquartered in Ojai, United States, in the North America region.
How does Turtle Conservancy make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are membership Program, E-commerce Sales and adoption Program.
Who are Turtle Conservancy's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Wildlife Conservation Society, Fauna & Flora International, World Wildlife Fund, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and Conservation International. IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group is listed as an others. Direct peers are Turtle Survival Alliance, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and Rainforest Trust. Re:wild is listed as an emerging player.
Does Turtle Conservancy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Turtle Conservancy.
What industry is Turtle Conservancy in?
Turtle Conservancy's product category is Wildlife Conservation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAB, Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection, with a secondary code of BPAGAIAC, Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release. Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 8600.