Ponce Inlet, FL - The Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet will release a 280-pound loggerhead turtle back into the wild after three months of rehabilitation.
Depending on weather and surf conditions, Science Center staff will release Whitney, the loggerhead, at 12:30 PM on Friday July 7 at the Beach St. Ramp in Ponce Inlet. The release will occur on the north side of the ramp, which is the no-driving zone. Paid beach parking for observers will be available at the south side of the ramp, tide permitting.
Whitney was first found stranded on Cocoa Beach on April 16. She weighed 235 pounds at the time, her immune system was compromised, and she was anemic and underweight. She also suffered from an old wound, most likely from a boat propeller, which had amputated her left rear flipper and put large gash in her shell.
In order to treat Whitney, Science Center staff gave her iron and vitamin injections, fluids with electrolytes, and antibiotics to prevent further infection. She was also put on a highly nutritious diet, which included live blue crabs.
“We are thrilled to be able to aid in the recovery and return of an internationally endangered sea turtle, especially a female of breeding age,” says Melissa Ranly, Turtle Rehabilitation Manager at the Marine Science Center. “Every turtle we return has the opportunity to become a part of the breeding population and conserve its species for future generations.”
Photo of Whitney courtesy of the Marine Science Center
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