Editor’s note: We are reflecting on our 12 most impactful moments of 2025. Your support made these incredible stories of rescue, recovery and wonder at your Zoo possible. Thank you. We celebrate what your support made possible – and ask you to help create even more magical moments in 2026. Thanks to our generous matching donors, the first $30,000 in donations will be matched dollar for dollar, making these gifts even more joyous. Learn more here.     

This year, our over ten-year-old Sea Turtle Healing Center needed to reduce capacity for a few months to take care of some necessary tank and life support system repairs.  Being the only sea turtle rehabilitation center in Brevard County, we did not turn away patients during this time. We continued to care for the local sea turtles in need by triaging and stabilizing them for transfer to other facilities throughout the state. This year we had to transfer 39 turtles to other facilities. East Coast Zoological Foundation’s Sea Turtle Healing Center at Brevard Zoo never really experiences a slow year – and 2025 was no exception.  

This year, the Healing Center team cared for 1,324 hatchlings and post-hatchlings that were waylaid while on their journey out to the ocean by severe weather. The healthy or rehabilitated little ones received boat rides back out to the ocean – a conservation win for a species that has the odds stacked against their offspring. 

Our team also responded to 123 sea turtles who ranged from juvenile to adult in size. While not every sea turtle patient can be rehabilitated enough to make it back out to the ocean, we’re proud of the 28 patients who were released this year! 

Vader pictured with the commercial fishing line that was wrapped around him.

Every sea turtle release is a well celebrated conservation win. Two this year, however, will stand out in our memories: 

Eventually named after the notorious Star Wars villain, Vader the green sea turtle was found in the Indian River Lagoon with commercial fishing line wrapped around their throat, making their breathing sound raspy and Darth Vader-esque. Another seven pounds of discarded fishing line and rope were found dragging behind Vader, likely for a few weeks. Vader recovered from the injuries to their neck and trachea along with a case of pneumonia, and they were released on World Sea Turtle Day, June 16.   

 Not to be outdone, 230-plus-pound June Cleaver the loggerhead made some waves at our Healing Center with her arrival barely a week later. She was found in Melbourne Beach struggling to lay her eggs. Our team soon learned she had old boat strike wounds as well. Named after the “Leave It to Beaver” matriarch, June eventually laid eggs in her pool with us. Those eggs were buried at the beach by biologists. While they ended up not being viable, we’re proud to share June Cleaver was released on Sept. 3. We are happy to know that June Cleaver will have the opportunity to return to the sandy beaches of Brevard to lay eggs for years to come. 

Our community boasts one of the world’s most important sea turtle nesting areas, which is why our Healing Center is integral to supporting this native species. We appreciate your support in ensuring this mission continues! 

Have you found a sea turtle that needs help? Visit this page or call the Sea Turtle Preservation Society at 321-206-0646. Want to help the Sea Turtle Healing Center? Support our Zoo, or view our Healing Center’s wishlist.