Deb Allen, head of the Ocean Isle Beach Sea Turtle Protection Organization (OIBSTPO), will talk about new discoveries in sea turtle DNA tracking. Sea Turtle DNA helps conservationists identify individual female sea turtles, determine where they were born and nest, and track family lines over generations. This information helps scientists understand nesting patterns, genetic diversity, and population health so they can better protect important nesting beaches and breeding populations. There is new research being tested that can identify DNA of breeding male sea turtles through the use of flipper DNA from hatchlings. This is exciting because males are rarely seen on nesting beaches. New techniques can help scientists determine which males are successfully breeding, how many males are contributing to a population, and how much genetic diversity is being passed to hatchlings, all of which is important information for protecting sea turtle populations.