Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Center
Description
The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Center is a nonprofit hospital in Surf City, North Carolina, dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating sea turtles.
It conserves and protects all species of marine turtles, both on the beach and in the water. Staff and volunteers rescue, treat and release sick and injured sea turtles, using diagnostics, surgery and therapies such as medical-grade honey and a therapy pool. The center also protects nesting turtles and their eggs along Topsail Island through its Topsail Turtle Project, and provides an experiential learning site for students of biology, wildlife conservation and veterinary medicine.
It grew out of the Topsail Turtle Project, started by Karen Beasley to protect nests and hatchlings on Topsail Island. After her death, her mother Jean Beasley carried the work forward and opened the first rehabilitation facility in 1997. The center moved into a larger, purpose-built building in Surf City in 2013 and now offers guided public tours alongside its rescue and rehabilitation work.
Latest news
Summer is here and we have a wonderful group of new interns taking over our sea turtle hospital! They are bringing a great deal of energy and enthusiasm to the organization! Bailey K: Bailey is one...
27 Aug 2026
Introducing the 2026 Spring Semester UNCW Interns!
Just in time to help with a busy cold-stun season, our 2026 Spring semester UNCW interns have arrived! On behalf of everyone here, especially the Saturday Team, we are grateful for each and every one...
21 Aug 2026
Welcome, Fall 2025 - Spring 2026 Interns!
Due to a lower patient load, we revised our internship schedule for Fall 2025 through Spring 2026. We staggered arrival times for interns to allow for fewer interns when we were slow and more interns...
21 Aug 2026
Custom Surfboard helps raise funds for cold-stunned turtles!
*** UPDATE 6/1/26: Congratulations to D.C. from New York for winning the surfboard! And thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket to help. KehalaFL heard our story about Radish and other...
4 Jun 2026
It's Nesting Season - Keep Beaches #CleanDarkFlat
Did you know? May 1 though October 31 is sea turtle nesting season! Click here to learn more about nests on Topsail Island. Sea turtles dig the dark! Artificial lighting from houses, streetlights,...
26 May 2026
You Can Help Warm Cold-Stunned Turtles Like Radish!
Cold and alone, the young sea turtle floated helplessly in the Intracoastal Waterway. With overnight temperatures dipping down below freezing, the water was much too cold for this small turtle . ...
26 May 2026
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