FWC and SeaWorld Orlando Return Sea Turtles to the Wild after Rehabilitation
Several loggerhead sea turtles are back home in the Atlantic after being successfully rescued and rehabilitated. One of the lucky loggerheads was actually rescued back in February by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers and sea turtle biologists after a concerned boater reported the injured animal. The boater spotted the turtle floating abnormally in the Intracoastal Waterway in southern Martin County, with its left side substantially more buoyant than the right, preventing it from staying submerged for extended periods.
After a successful rehabilitation at SeaWorld Orlando, it was time to send the turtle back home. It took several people to carry him to the water at Hobe Sound Beach because he weighed 135 pounds! Loggerheads are among the largest sea turtles, with adults weighing an impressive average of 275 pounds. They are named for their massive, block-like heads and are the most common sea turtle in Florida, which makes them the only species that has a population high enough to be listed as threatened; all other sea turtle species are classified as endangered.
Read more about this story on SeaWorld's blog, Inside Conservation.
If you see a stranded, injured or dead sea turtle, please call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922). You can also dial #FWC or *FWC from your cell phone.
Florida residents can also help support sea turtle research and response efforts by purchasing a sea turtle license plate at Buyaplate.com or through your local tax collector.
Source: FWC, Photo Credit: Katie Johnson
