3,597 Hatchlings and a Beach Patrol of Volunteers on St. John

Friends of Virgin Islands National Park funds and runs the Sea Turtle Monitoring and Protection Program in Virgin Islands National Park and the Coral Reef National Monument, which together cover about 60% of St. John. Volunteers patrol assigned beaches looking for nesting tracks, nests are protected through incubation, and hatchlings found during excavations are released to the ocean. The 2025 season set records with 44 nests documented, 3,597 hatchlings released and 1,736 volunteer hours logged by 75 volunteers. The program also offers school education, turtle talks at campgrounds and boat-and-snorkel trips that teach boaters and visitors turtle-friendly practices.