WATERFLY and the Sea Turtle Conservancy: A Tracked Green Sea Turtle Named Tilly and $1 Per Co-Branded Bag
, by Alex Wang , 15 min reading time
A female green sea turtle was fitted with a satellite tag at Tortuguero beach after nesting on October 1, 2026. Waterfly, the lightweight outdoor bag brand (waterflyshop.com), sponsored and named her Tilly as part of its partnership with the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC), signed in September 2026. Anyone can follow her migration on STC’s tracking page. The partnership also commits $1 from every co-branded bag sold to sea turtle protection.
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Tilly after nesting at Tortuguero beach, October 1, 2026. A satellite tag was applied once she finished laying. Photo: Sea Turtle Conservancy. |
Item |
Detail |
Partner |
Sea Turtle Conservancy, a nonprofit with more than six decades of sea turtle research and habitat protection |
Agreement signed |
September 2026 |
Commitment |
$1 donated to STC for every co-branded Waterfly bag sold (name to be announced) |
Tracked turtle |
Tilly, adult female green sea turtle, 103.3 cm curved carapace length |
Tagging |
Nesting at Tortuguero beach on October 1, 2026, satellite tag applied after nesting |
Where to follow her |
STC tracking page for Tilly |
Brand |
WATERFLY, waterflyshop.com
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Why Waterfly chose the Sea Turtle Conservancy
STC has spent decades tagging sea turtles and protecting nesting beaches. For a brand whose customers spend their time outdoors, that fieldwork was a more direct fit than a general environmental donation.
Meet Tilly, the tracked turtle
On October 1, 2026, an adult female green sea turtle was found nesting at Tortuguero beach. She measured 103.3 cm in curved carapace length. When she finished nesting, a satellite tag was applied, and she now carries the name Tilly. Her migration map, distance traveled and most recent location are published and updated by STC on her tracking page.
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Tilly’s migration map as of October 13, 2026, showing tracked locations near Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica. Updated by STC as new locations arrive. Map and data: Sea Turtle Conservancy. |
Tilly is short for Matilda, from Old German words meaning strength and battle. The name suits a turtle that nests on a beach STC has monitored for 50 years and then returns to open water carrying a satellite tag. It also fits Waterfly’s own idea of exploration: sea turtles are among the great long-distance travelers of the planet, and Waterfly makes bags for people who like to explore on their own two feet.
According to STC, Tortuguero, on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, is the nesting site of more endangered green turtles than anywhere else in the Western Hemisphere. STC has monitored its 21-mile black sand beach for 50 years, and describes its work there as the longest continuous sea turtle monitoring and research project in the world. Costa Rica created Tortuguero National Park in 1975 to protect the nesting turtles and the beach. Green turtle nesting season runs from July through October, which is when Tilly was found.
How does the $1 donation work?
For every co-branded bag sold, Waterfly donates $1 to the Sea Turtle Conservancy for sea turtle protection. The donation is tied to one identifiable co-branded bag, whose name will be announced once it reaches customers.
Does Waterfly support STC beyond financial donations?
Yes. In addition to satellite-tagging Tilly and the $1-per-bag pledge, Waterfly directly equips STC’s frontline field team. In an official thank-you letter, STC Executive Director David Godfrey commended Waterfly for donating 30 outdoor bags for field staff carrying out conservation activities, alongside two larger backpacks for an upcoming fundraising auction.
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Godfrey noted that Waterfly produces "beautiful, functional, and highly durable" bags that are "perfect for the kind of field work we do with sea turtles." |
Caption: Official thank-you letter from Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) Executive Director David Godfrey, recognizing Waterfly’s donation of 30 outdoor bags and two fundraising auction backpacks. (Photo: Sea Turtle Conservancy / Waterfly)
How can readers verify the partnership?
STC’s tracking page for Tilly lists Waterfly as a sponsor and partner and links to waterflyshop.com. That page is hosted and updated by STC, not by Waterfly.
How long will Tilly be tracked?
According to STC, transmitters send signals for around one year on average, sometimes up to two years and sometimes less than one. Gaps of a day or two are normal and can come from the turtle’s behavior or buildup on the transmitter.
Does this replace Waterfly’s other programs?
No. It sits alongside them.
Program |
What it does |
How to check |
One Tree Planted |
One order on Waterfly’s own store, one tree planted. |
One Tree Planted |
American Hiking Society |
Waterfly is a partner, supporting trail conservation and outdoor access through gear donations |
American Hiking Society |
New England Center for Children |
Running belts donated to Team NECC runners at the Boston Marathon and Falmouth Road Race, supporting training, fundraising and autism care awareness |
NECC |
Sea Turtle Conservancy |
$1 per co-branded bag sold, plus the tracked turtle Tilly |
STC tracking page for Tilly |
Where it goes from here
Waterfly says the STC partnership is meant to grow alongside its existing programs, with more detail on the co-branded bag to follow once it reaches customers.
Follow Tilly on STC’s tracking page, and browse Waterfly bags at waterflyshop.com.
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