2026 In Memoriam
Beloved members of our global community have passed away since the publication of SWOT Report, vol. XX, including those memorialized here and many more whose legacies live on through their communities and loved ones. The SWOT team is grateful to all the sea turtle researchers, conservationists, and enthusiasts who have committed a significant portion of their lives, energies, and passions to ensure that future generations can enjoy abundant sea turtle populations in healthy oceans globally.
Jean Beasley (1935–2025)
Jean was the leader and driving force at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center on Topsail Island, North Carolina, since its founding in the 1990s. Started by Jean and her daughter, Karen, as the Topsail Turtle Project, the center adopted its new name after Karen’s untimely death. Jean believed that every turtle is special, and the “Turtle Hospital” grew into a thriving institution that rescued, rehabilitated, and released thousands of turtles over the years. It also educated countless visitors and local community volunteers. The center is now a regional hub for receiving sick, cold-stunned, and injured sea turtles from the Atlantic coast of the United States. A colleague who worked with Jean at the center said, “She walked the walk. She didn’t just say we should save sea turtles. She saved sea turtles. She was a true leader.”
Carlos Enrique “Kike” Chacón Sanabria (1954–2025)
Kike’s memory lives on at Marino Las Baulas National Park in Costa Rica. Long before research stations and global collaborations arose to protect leatherback turtles in Costa Rica, biologists from around the world found refuge at “Kike’s Place.” What began in the 1990s as a seasonal cantina and campsite run by Kike and his wife, Yani, became their permanent home and “Grand Central Station” for sea turtle conservationists. Kike carried the struggles of field science on his shoulders, from feeding teams of volunteers to lifting spirits and ensuring that every challenge or question was met with a practical answer. Even through protracted illness, humor never left him, and his famous words “no problems, only solutions” became a credo for conservation partners across generations. He was father, friend, collaborator, and quiet architect of progress at the world-renowned national park named for the leatherback turtle.
Víctor de la Toba (1959–2025)
For more than 20 years, Víctor de la Toba safeguarded the nature, ecosystems, and sea turtles of his community located on the windswept Cabo San Lázaro on Mexico’s Pacific coast. One of many partners in the Grupo Tortuguero de las Californias, his work and commitment provided important information to better understand sea turtles’ ecology in a remote but extremely important area. Known for his great heart and unwavering dedication, Víctor mentored countless students, always teaching them that conservation was equal parts science and perseverance. At its 26th annual meeting, Grupo Tortuguero declared Víctor the first-ever recipient of its highest honor, the Wallace J. Nichols Award, in recognition of his lifetime of dedication. Family, students, and teammates will forever remember Víctor’s laughter and his broad smile, his commitment to sea turtles, and his steadfast belief in community-driven solutions.
This article originally appeared in SWOT Report, vol. 21 (2026). Download the full report as a PDF.