Four young sea turtles received a fresh start this week thanks to months of care at The Florida Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center in Apollo Beach.
On August 11, Aquarium biologists carefully loaded four juvenile green sea turtles — Dark Blue Yellow, Pink, Black and Light Blue Pink — into a transport van at the Apollo Beach Conservation Campus. The turtles then began the journey across the state to their release site near Palm Coast, where they were returned to the Atlantic Ocean.
For the aquarium’s animal care team, the release marked the successful conclusion of four very different rehabilitation journeys.
Dark Blue Yellow arrived on March 29 after being found stranded at Minerva Beach near Daytona Beach with a severe gash across the underside of its shell, known as the plastron. Aquarium officials said the injury was one of the most serious sea turtle wounds the team has successfully treated.
The turtle’s recovery included a specialized topical ointment that created a waterproof barrier over the wound, along with ongoing wound care, veterinary treatment, nutritional support and close monitoring.
Pink, Black and Light Blue Pink were rescued along Florida’s east coast after becoming cold-stunned. Exposure to cold water can leave sea turtles weak, lethargic and unable to swim.
After months of rehabilitation, all four turtles completed exit examinations during the two weeks prior to release and were declared healthy enough to return to the wild.
The release highlights the important conservation work taking place locally at the aquarium’s Apollo Beach facility. Since 1999, The Florida Aquarium has rescued and rehabilitated sea turtles while also conducting research aimed at improving their chances of survival in the wild.
The 19,000-square-foot Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center features 12 recovery pools, a veterinary hospital and a deep-dive pool where turtles can be evaluated and conditioned before release.
The aquarium has cared for 22 sea turtles this season. Four juvenile green sea turtles remain in rehabilitation and will continue receiving treatment until they are medically cleared for release.
For residents of Apollo Beach and the surrounding SouthShore community, the facility offers a firsthand look at the conservation efforts helping protect one of Florida’s most iconic marine animals.
All rehabilitation work is conducted with approval from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission under authorized conservation activities.
You must be logged in to post a comment.