Sometimes, you gotta step away from work for a few to see something incredible. If you've never seen rescued turtles released back into the ocean, here's a front-row seat!
The Destin Gulfarium, the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center, and other partners work diligently to make sure humans and other creatures can continue to enjoy the Emerald Coast together. It's not uncommon to see nesting areas for sea turtles or rare shore birds carefully roped off in the middle of popular vacation spots.
Sometimes, sea turtles are found in distress after mistaking indigestible trash for food, or when feeding in the busy fishing areas around the piers swallow hooks or become entangled in lines. These teams take them to rehab centers, to extricate them safely and microchip them to collect valuable movement data.
This week, 4 sea turtles were cleared for release after fishing incidents: 3 loggerheads (named Orange, Mango, and Watermelon) and an unnamed Kemp's Ridley - the smallest species of sea turtle, considered one of the world's rarest.
What a treat to see. If you want to see more, there are video clips and more photos posted on my social media pages. 🩵
