Sea Turtle Recovery

What Sea Turtle Recovery does

Sea Turtle Recovery (STR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2014 and headquartered inside Essex County Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange, New Jersey (Tax ID 46-4861060). It operates as New Jersey's only long-term rehabilitation center for sick and injured sea turtles, primarily treating cold-stunned Kemp's Ridley and Loggerhead sea turtles rescued along the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Virginia. Since admitting its first patient (STR-16-001 "Navigator") in December 2016, STR has rehabilitated and released more than 114 sea turtles, providing veterinary care, surgery, feeding, and recovery support until release back into the ocean.

The organization's service portfolio spans six core offerings: rehabilitation services, an adoption/sponsorship program ($2,000 per turtle), education and outreach for schools and community groups, a volunteer program, annual fundraising events, and a merchandise shop. There is no proprietary technology platform; the business operates entirely through physical animal care, event-based community engagement, and standard nonprofit digital infrastructure (website, email newsletter, social media, and e-commerce ticketing via third-party platforms like Eventbrite and RunSignUp).

Revenue is generated exclusively through donations, sponsorships/adoptions, ticketed events, merchandise sales, and a $25/year printed newsletter subscription, with two full-time staff (Co-Executive Officers Brandi Biehl and William Deerr) supplemented by veterinarians, a Board of Directors, and a volunteer pipeline. Geographic scope is limited to the U.S. Northeast and Atlantic Coast, and the organization is restricted by its permits to rehabilitating only ocean-dwelling sea turtles — not freshwater turtles, terrapins, or pets.

Name

Sea Turtle Recovery

Legal name

Sea Turtle Recovery

Website

https://seaturtlerecovery.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sea Turtle Recovery is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating New Jersey's only long-term sea turtle rehabilitation center inside Essex County Turtle Back Zoo, serving the Atlantic Coast through rescue, veterinary care, release, and public conservation education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Rehabilitation Services

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

Keywords

• Wildlife rehabilitation services
• Sea turtle conservation
• Nonprofit veterinary care
• Animal adoption sponsorship
• Conservation education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

West Orange

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donations from the public, both one-time and recurring contributions to support sea turtle rehabilitation efforts.
2. Sponsorships and Adoptions: Sea turtle adoption sponsorships where donors can sponsor individual turtles during their rehabilitation. Each patient costs approximately $2000 to rehabilitate.
3. Event Fundraising: Revenue from ticketed events including brunches, races, concerts, and brewery fundraisers.
4. Shop and Merchandise: Online shop selling merchandise, with proceeds supporting sea turtle rehabilitation.
5. Newsletter Subscription: Printed newsletter subscription for $25 donation per year, providing at least 4 newsletters annually.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sea Turtle Recovery is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides long-term medical rehabilitation, including surgeries, medication, feeding, and recovery care, for sick and injured sea turtles until they can be released back into the ocean. The organization also runs adoption/sponsorship programs, public education and outreach on sea turtle ecology and conservation, volunteer training, fundraising events (races, brunches, brewery events, benefit concerts), and a merchandise e-commerce shop, all operated from its facility inside Essex County Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange, NJ.

Product overview

Sea Turtle Recovery operates as a single-location nonprofit rehabilitation hospital offering long-term care for sick and injured sea turtles. The organization provides rehabilitation services for sea turtle patients (Kemp's Ridley, Loggerhead, Green sea turtles) rescued primarily from cold-stunning events along the Atlantic coast. Additional offerings include adoption and sponsorship programs, public education and outreach, volunteer opportunities, and annual fundraising events. The organization does not offer a technology platform or software products; its services are entirely focused on wildlife rehabilitation, conservation education, and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Services Long-term rehabilitation care for sick and injured sea turtles, including medical treatment, feeding, surgeries, and recovery until release back to the ocean; primarily cold-stunned Kemp's Ridley and Loggerhead sea turtles from the Atlantic coast.
• Sea Turtle Adoption and Sponsorship Program Sponsorship program allowing donors to sponsor individual sea turtle patients during rehabilitation; each patient costs approximately $2,000 on average to rehabilitate and release.
• Education and Outreach Programs Public education on sea turtle ecology, conservation threats, and protection methods; includes school field-trip programs, classroom presentations, and community presentations for educators and the general public.
• Volunteer Program Structured volunteer opportunities for adults 18+ supporting rehabilitation operations, with training sessions (e.g., Fall 2026).
• Fundraising Event Hosting Annual ticketed fundraising events including the Sea Turtle Race (Cold Stun Run) 5K, Sea Turtle Sunrise events (capacity 200), South Jersey Bruncheons, Sips for Sea Turtles brewery fundraisers, and benefit concerts.
• Merchandise Shop Online shop selling Sea Turtle Recovery branded merchandise with proceeds supporting sea turtle rehabilitation.
• Printed Newsletter Subscription Printed newsletter subscription for a $25 annual donation, providing at least 4 newsletters per year with patient updates, events, and conservation news.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100+ sea turtles successfully rehabilitated and released back to the ocean since 2016

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Essex County Turtle Back ZoocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTR operates inside Turtle Back Zoo. The zoo provides the physical facility and visitor access. STR provides staffing, food, medicine, surgeries, and treatments for sea turtle patients. This is a co-locational partnership where both organizations benefit from the arrangement.
• Jenkinsons AquariumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a community partner contributing to Sea Turtle Recovery's mission.
• Rock the OceanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOcean conservation organization partnering with STR for marine conservation efforts.
• Dr. Brewlittle's Beer CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHost venue for annual Sips For Sea Turtles brewery fundraiser events. Donates portion of beer purchases to STR.
• ManaFirkin Brewing Co.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerHost venue for 2025 Sips For Sea Turtles brewery fundraiser.
• Wilshire CaterersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCatering partner for events like the Sea Turtle Bruncheon 2021.
• Beignets of Denville, NJminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDoughnut provider for Sea Turtle Sunrise Events.
• Atlantic Marine Conservation SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitial treatment partner for sea turtles - transfers patients to STR for further rehabilitation (e.g., STR-21-001 DonaShello).
• Friel Bros Paving CominorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business sponsor.
• PomptonianminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business sponsor.
• AMCSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarine conservation partner.
• Pro Bono PartnerminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides pro bono professional services.
• McGowan LandscapingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business sponsor.
• ThinkInk TeesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMerchandise partner.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Loggerhead Marinelife Center: Juno Beach, FL-based nonprofit sea turtle hospital focused on rehabilitation, education, and ocean conservation. Comparable fundraising model (adoptions, events, memberships) and similar education-driven brand.
• Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center: Topsail Beach, NC-based nonprofit sea turtle rehabilitation hospital. Operates the same rescue-to-release care model for sick and injured sea turtles, supported by donations, adoptions, and education programs. The closest direct operational peer to STR.
• Atlantic Marine Conservation Society: Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) is a NY/Atlantic-coast marine conservation and response nonprofit that already partners with STR by transferring stranded sea turtles to it for long-term rehabilitation. Directly comparable in mission and geography.
• Georgia Sea Turtle Center: Jekyll Island, GA-based nonprofit sea turtle hospital operated by the Jekyll Island Authority. Combines rehabilitation, education, and research, funded by donations, admissions, and sponsorships — directly comparable mission and program mix.
• Sea Turtle Hospital at Whitney Laboratory: University of Florida-affiliated sea turtle hospital at Whitney Laboratory in St. Augustine, FL. Provides rehabilitation, research, and public education for sea turtles, comparable to STR's combination of clinical care and outreach.
• South Carolina Aquarium Sea Turtle Care Center: Charleston, SC-based sea turtle hospital run by the South Carolina Aquarium. Runs a rescue-to-release program for stranded and injured sea turtles with strong education and adoption sponsorship components.

Broad incumbents

• Clearwater Marine Aquarium: Florida-based nonprofit aquarium and marine hospital operating one of the largest sea turtle and marine mammal rehabilitation programs in the US. A scaled incumbent with a similar rehabilitation-and-education business model.
• New England Aquarium Rescue and Rehab: Boston-based major aquarium with a long-running marine animal rescue and rehabilitation program for sea turtles and seals. Broader in scope and scale but directly comparable in patient intake, permits, and cold-stun response along the Northeast coast.
• National Aquarium Animal Rescue: Baltimore-based major aquarium with a long-standing animal rescue and rehabilitation program; board member Dr. Colin McDermott previously served as a veterinary fellow there. Operates in the same marine wildlife rehabilitation space at greater scale.

Regional players

• Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Program: Virginia Beach-based marine stranding and sea turtle rehabilitation program that handles many of the same Atlantic-coast cold-stun cases STR eventually treats. Operates in an adjacent geography with a directly comparable mission.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8ozFYWyhM5J-Id2hAGmx9A
• Facebookfacebook.com/SeaTurtleRecovery
• Instagraminstagram.com/seaturtlerecovery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sea-turtle-recovery-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sea Turtle Recovery