3 Rehabilitated Juvenile Sea Turtles To Be Released Into The Sea In Ponce Inlet

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Ponce Inlet, FL - Three green sea turtles will be released into the ocean at Ponce Inlet after more than a month of rehabilitation. The Marine Science Center plans to release the juvenile sea turtles, Dahlia, Eucalyptus, and Fig, at 10 AM Friday, March 23, at the Beach Street Ramp in Ponce Inlet, according to Volusia County Community Information. “The three juvenile sea turtles arrived in early February when we were having colder weather,” Marine Science Center's rehabilitation manager Melissa Ranly says. “They have been successfully rehabilitated for their various injuries and illnesses. We are thrilled to be returning these now healthy endangered sea turtles back into their habitat and hope they will eventually become part of the breeding population that helps continue to recover the species.” Dahlia was found stranded in New Smyrna Beach February 4. She was lethargic, underweight, and covered in algae and barnacles. During rehabilitation, Dahlia gained over a pound in a month and now weighs more than nine pounds. Eucalyptus was stranded in Daytona Beach on February 10 before being brought to the Marine Science Center. After more than a month of antibiotics, fluids, vitamin supplements, and good nutrition, Eucalyptus now weighs 7 pounds. Fig washed ashore in the Daytona Beach Shores area on February 11. Fig was also underweight and covered in barnacles and algae. After a full recovery that included antibiotics and fluids, Fig now weighs 5.5 pounds. Ranly says the Marine Science Center has treated 65 sea turtles already in 2018. The Center is located at 100 Lighthouse Drive in Ponce Inlet. For more information, click here or call 386-304-5545. Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2018.