Report a marine turtle sighting

We're interested in hearing about the marine turtles you spot around the UK & Ireland. Your UK sea turtle sightings are used to gain valuable insights into the health of our ocean.

Please note, this form is to record sea turtles found around the UK and Ireland only.

We ask that you also provide contact details, either a mobile phone number or an email address so that if any further verification is needed we can contact you. Without this we might be unable to include your sighting in the TURTLE database.

We’ll use your information for this purpose only. Read our full privacy policy.

Remember, if you find a hard-shelled turtle, DO NOT return it to the water, it's likely in cold water shock. Follow the Turtle Code.

Check the Turtle Code

When did the sighting take place?

Add the date using the following format: DD/MM/YY

Where did the sighting take place?

Exact location of sighting (if possible, use What3words or the latitude and longitude co-ordinates using Google Maps)

Where were you when you saw the turtle?

Where was the turtle when you saw it?

How far away was the turtle from you?

Distance in metres

How far away was the turtle from the shore?

Distance in metres

If the turtle was alive, what was it doing?

If the turtle was dead, what was it doing?

What kind of turtle did you see?

Leatherback
Loggerhead
Kemp's ridley
Green
Hawksbill
Unidentified

If you can, please identify what species you spotted. You can find helpful ID information in the Turtle code on our website.

How many turtles did you see?

Your contact details

Please leave an email and/or mobile number which we can use if we need to contact you for more information about your turtle encounter.

Finally, is there anything else that you want to add?

Other observations, such as the turtle's behaviour, a description of the turtle, identification tag details. If you have any photos to submit, please email them to info@mcsuk.org or tag us on social media @mcsuk with the hashtag #TurtleSighting.