After a two-day delay, courtesy of Tropical Storm Bertha, the Gulfarium CARE Center was able to successfully release three sea turtles back into the Gulf of America on July 24 at James Lee Park on the east end of Destin.
Word spread on social media about moving the release from Wednesday to Friday, and the people showed up in big numbers.
By 8:30 a.m. on Friday, 200 to 300 people had gathered on the beach, and the lines were already formed leaving a pathway for the turtles to make their way back into the Gulf.
People came from Panama City Beach to watch, as well as locals and others visiting the area on vacation.
A family from Oklahoma were glad to catch a turtle release on their visit this time, noting there wasn’t one scheduled on their last vacation to the area.
The Gulfarium released three sea turtles on Friday, ranging in weight from 31 to 176 pounds.
The first to be released was a 176-pound adult female loggerhead sea turtle named Frida. It took six workers to bring the turtle down in the tub to be released. Frida had been accidentally hooked at the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier in late May. She was treated for multiple fishing-related injuries and cleared to return to the Gulf.
Ziti, a 126-pound subadult loggerhead sea turtle, was the second turtle to be released. Ziti came to the CARE Center after being accidently hooked at the Navarre Beach Pier as well. The staff at the center discovered the turtle had additional hooks and was monitored closely throughout her stay.
The third turtle to be released was Norriego, a 31-pound juvenile green sea turtle. Shelby Spegemoller, a volunteer with the CARE Center, walked around and showed the turtle to the crowd before returning it to the Gulf.
Norriego’s story was a bit different than the other two turtles.
Sarah Kramen, stranding coordinator for the Gulfarium CARE Center, said the young sea turtle was found wedged in the jetty rocks at Norriego Point following Tropical Storm Bertha, and was unable to move. However, the turtle was rescued and checked out and good to be released Friday.
The release was held in partnership with the St. Joe Community Foundation, which supports the CARE Center’s rehabilitation work.
Anyone who sees a sea turtle in distress, injured or deceased should immediately report it to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 888-404-3922.
This article originally appeared on The Destin Log: Crowds gather as Gulfarium releases three sea turtles
Reporting by Tina Harbuck, The Destin Log / The Destin Log
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Tina Harbuck, The Destin Log | USA TODAY Network
