We celebrate World Turtle Day and are joined by two of Sanibel and Captiva islands' leading experts when it comes to turtles. 

Featured today are local legend Charles LeBuff, who was stationed at the J.N. Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge for more than 30 years, was a founding board member of SCCF and the founder of what is now our sea turtle monitoring program. He has also authored several books about the natural history of our islands.

And, Chris Lechowicz, SCCF’s Wildlife & Habitat Management Director since 2002, when he began keeping an inventory of wildlife on our islands. As SCCF’s resident herpetologist, Chris has conducted extensive research on Florida box turtles and on ornate Diamondback terrapin.

Together they co-authored a reference book in 2013 called “Amphibians & Reptiles of Sanibel & Captiva Islands, Florida,” which is considered the go-to guide for understanding the ever-changing life history of our islands’ herpetofauna.

Since they are separated by a generation in age, these two have collectively worked in the field documenting the changing ecosystems in which these turtles live for seven decades.