Mom Sees All 7 Sea Turtle Species While Helping Save Them

Nicole Milson works at a spice factory in London, Ontario, but her real passion lives in the ocean. The 42-year-old mom of two just completed a five-year quest to see all seven sea turtle species in the world, volunteering at conservation sites on three continents along the way.

It all started on a 2020 Hawaii vacation when Milson spotted her first sea turtle poking its head above water. That same night, she discovered 30 green sea turtles sleeping peacefully on a moonlit beach.

"I'm not sure how to describe the feeling I had when I first laid eyes on these giant reptiles," Milson said. "I suppose at first, I felt this rush of adrenaline that transformed into awe, and then came emotional tears."

Back home in Canada, Milson couldn't stop thinking about those turtles. She dove into research and learned that all seven sea turtle species are endangered or vulnerable, which sparked an idea: What if she could see them all while helping save them?

She booked her first volunteer trip to Grenada through Working Abroad, monitoring leatherback sea turtles and helping with community outreach programs. She watched nine leatherbacks nest and even held a baby hatchling. While snorkeling, she spotted a hawksbill turtle, bringing her count to two species.

Next came loggerheads in Florida, where the Loggerhead Marinelife Center welcomed her to observe their rehabilitation work. In Costa Rica, Milson worked the hardest she'd ever worked, pulling all-night beach patrols to monitor 53 olive ridley turtles and building a new egg hatchery that will protect future generations.

The rarest species proved the trickiest. Kemp's ridley turtles nest in only one location worldwide and face the greatest extinction risk. After a week of camping on Texas beaches hoping for a sighting, Milson visited Sea Turtle, Inc., where she met Hang Ten, a permanent resident with a flipper condition that prevents her from surviving in the wild.

That left just one: the flatback sea turtle, found only in Australian waters. In December 2024, Milson finally saw one, completing her incredible journey.

Why This Inspires

Milson proves you don't need a science degree to make a difference. Her journey shows how one magical moment can transform into years of meaningful conservation work. By volunteering instead of just sightseeing, she contributed thousands of hours to protecting species that desperately need human help.

The data she collected, the hatcheries she built, and the awareness she's raised will ripple forward for decades. And now, she's celebrating in Panama with a well-earned view of the ocean she's worked so hard to protect.