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Alexa Putillo-Wehry | Marine Biologist

@ocean_alexa

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🐢Sea turtle ecology & conservation
👩‍💻PhD candidate
🌊 Fieldwork, scicomm, & coastal adventures
🌍 Freediver & @irockersup ambassador
Views are my own

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We are back in the field researching sea turtle diet, health, and habitat use in the Gulf coast of Florida! Here’s a glimpse of the past few days 🐢🌊 with views of our wonderful study site at the end 🌱😍 so far we have collected data on green, Kemp’s ridley, and loggerhead sea turtles, all three species that can be found in our study site! Only two of the three species are in these clips.

Field gear: @waterlust @freestylewatches @manggear @stream2sea

Sea turtle research activities authorized by NMFS Permit # 19496 and FWC Permit # 243. Please do not attempt to recreate the contents of this video without appropriate training and authorization.

#science #marinebiology #phdstudent #gradschool #seaturtle #boat #research #fieldwork by @ocean_alexa

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a year ago

I am happy to start season two with @ocean_alexa 🎉

Alexa is a marine biologist, science communicator, and PhD student in the Biological Oceanography Department at Florida State University.

🐢 She studies the foraging ecology and habitat use of sea turtles along Florida’s Gulf coast. Her research integrates novel methods, including stable isotope analysis, habitat assessments, and
biologging devices, to explore how different sea turtle species interact with their environments and shape the ecosystems they inhabit.

A key focus of her work is understanding the ecological roles of sea turtles, such as how their foraging behavior influences habitat structure and ecosystem function in coastal areas.
In this episode, we’ll dive into her journey, what sea turtles can teach us about ocean health, and why storytelling matters in science and conservation.

Now available on YouTube and Spotify!

#turtles #oceanconservation #underwaterworld_ #marinebiologist #marinebiology #florida #reptiles #ocean #seaturtle taken in Florida by @ocean_alexa

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a year ago

Lifetime goal of connecting the next generation with the natural world 🌊🌞

I have a few outreach activities coming up in the next few weeks and it had me reflecting about my goals and purpose as a scientist. My goal has always been to not only advance scientific knowledge in my field however I can, but to share that knowledge through communication and platforms. For me, that looks like sharing stories, fun critters, and the resiliency of the ocean and its habitats.

I think we all have some inner child in us when it comes to the ocean and natural world in general 🩵 and I think it’s important to celebrate that and let it fuel exploration, teaching, and continued learning about our natural spaces. 🌱

Sea turtle videos taken under permit.

#sirdavidattenborough #planetearth #natureteachers #naturereels #naturelove #ocean #conservation #marinescience #marinebiologist #marinebiology #optoutside by @ocean_alexa

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3 years ago

Just wrapped up our last field trip of the season!! We had a few days of gorgeous conditions, turtles of course, and tons of other wildlife 🐬🦅🐟🐚🐢🦀 Always grateful for time on the water 🌞

Wearing @waterlust @booebags

Sea turtle research activities authorized by NMFS Permit 19496 and FWC Permit 243

#fieldwork #research #marinebiologist #boat #gradstudent by @ocean_alexa

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3 days ago

Field researchers it’s your time to shine 📸✨

Fav field pic or funniest, or both 🤗

Sea turtle research activities authorized by NMFS Permit 19496 and FWC Permit 243

#fieldwork #research #biologist #ecologist #gradstudent by @ocean_alexa

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13 days ago

weekends are going to look a little different over the next few months 🥹

I definitely don’t advocate for working every weekend (!!), but I’m at the point in my PhD where I have a lot I want to accomplish over the next few months & right now, that means putting in some extra hours on the weekends - so I’m doing my best to make those days feel a little more enjoyable 🤎

coffee, candles, cozy fall vibes + pomodoro method ☕️🕯️🍂

video inspo from @beluga_lady I love seeing all the other PhD students on this app working hard toward their goals 🫶

#phd #phdstudent #gradschool #research #marinebiology by @ocean_alexa

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14 days ago

Recipe for a gooood day 🌊🤿🌞🐚 is a Gulf coast paddle exploring around the mangroves on my @irockersup

Saw sooo many awesome inverts on this paddle (some in the clips), tons of fish, and surprise manatee sightings! Super thankful for a great day on the water last weekend as we are getting a lot of rain through this weekend 🌧️

First stop was @patronacoffee ☕️, wearing @kavalacollective, & @icemulecoolers kept our drinks & snacks cool 🩵

#paddle #paddleboarding #irockersup #mangrove by @ocean_alexa

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15 days ago

Ending the week with a little motivation 💪🏼✨

Being a PhD student comes with plenty of moments of imposter syndrome, uncertainty, and learning as you go, but also moments that show us just how capable we are.

Reminding myself to keep showing up, be patient with the process, ask for help when I need it, and recognize how far I’ve already come. 💙🌊

#phdstudent #research #gradschool #marinebiologist #phdlife by @ocean_alexa

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16 days ago

Friday motivation because there never really was a plan B 🐠🚤🐬🤿🐢🌊💻🌱

#marinebiologist #fieldscientist #research #fieldwork #phdstudent

Sea turtle research activities authorized by NMFS Permit 19496 and FWC Permit 243

Video inspo: @_tides.and.trails_ 🩵 by @ocean_alexa

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23 days ago

#ad Taking care of the ocean can happen in so many ways 🌊

As a marine biologist, I see marine debris all the time while working on the water, so for World Cleanup Day I’m partnering with Wave Browser to highlight another way our everyday choices can support a cleaner ocean. 🌎✨

Wave Browser partners with 4ocean to help fund the removal of plastic and trash from the ocean, rivers, and coastlines - all through something most of us already do every day: browsing the internet.

Between researching, analyzing data, and writing, I spend A LOT of time on my computer, so I love the idea that something already built into my day can also help support ocean cleanup efforts.

Whether it’s picking up trash when you see it or making small changes to things you already do, those everyday choices can add up. 💙🌊

Wave Browser is also hosting a giveaway for World Cleanup Day! 🎉 Visit their page to learn more and enter: @wave_browser

#WaveBrowser #WorldCleanupDay #OceanCleanup by @ocean_alexa

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a month ago

Here’s all the trash we picked up during our last sea turtle research trip 🐢🌊🗑️

Thankful (and a little shocked) that we didn’t pick up any balloons this time as we often find them floating at the surface 😭🎈While out on the water, please remember to pack out all the trash you bring in! 🗑️

Marine debris can persist in the environment for years and can be harmful to wildlife through ingestion, entanglement, and other interactions. Even small pieces of trash can make their way into our waterways, so every piece picked up, or prevented from getting there in the first place, helps. 🐢💙

This past weekend was also International Coastal Cleanup Day and World Cleanup Day 🌎🧤 A huge thank you to all of the groups, organizations, and volunteers who spent their time cleaning up coastlines and other natural spaces! 🌊👏🏼💙

#marinedebris #cleanup #oceancleanup #conservation #trashfreeseas by @ocean_alexa

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a month ago

A glimpse into our trips conducting sea turtle research 🐢🌊

In addition to multiple lab projects, this trip we were primarily looking for adult male loggerheads! How do we know when we’ve found an adult male? Males develop a much longer, thicker tail than females once they reach maturity, which we can usually spot from the boat. 👀

Lots of transects, turtle workups, environmental data, drone flights, gear cleaning, and data entry packed into a few days in the field.

Not included: the tire we had to change before our most recent fieldwork even started 🫠 I’ll save that one for another video.

Wearing @booebags @sharkfinswimco @waterlust

#marinebiologist #seaturtle #research #phdstudent #fieldwork

Clips were taken during permitted research activities, authorized by NMFS Permit 19496 and FWC Permit 243 under conditions not detrimental to the animals. Do not attempt to recreate without proper training and authorization.

These projects were funded in whole or in part by a grant awarded from the Sea Turtle Grants Program. The Sea Turtle Grants Program is funded from proceeds from the sale of the Florida Sea Turtle License Plate. Learn more at www.helpingseaturtles.org by @ocean_alexa

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a month ago