Five Rehabilitated Sea Turtles Released at Inlet Beach

In Brief:

🐢 Five rehabilitated sea turtles were released by the Gulfarium CARE Center at Inlet Beach.
🎣 The turtles were rescued from hook injuries and treated by veterinarians and staff.
🌊 The occasion highlights conservation efforts; Gulfarium encourages the public to report injured turtles.

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Five rehabilitated sea turtles were returned to the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday morning at Inlet Beach after receiving care at the Gulfarium CARE Center in Fort Walton Beach.

The release drew a crowd of residents, visitors, and conservation supporters who watched as the turtles entered the surf following treatment that ranged from hook removals to recovery from past injuries.

Among the turtles released were two 132-pound loggerheads rescued in recent weeks. One, named Zelda, was taken in from Navarre Beach Fishing Pier with a J-hook lodged in her esophagus. The other, Ditto, was foul-hooked at the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier. Both were treated successfully. Zelda had previously sustained multiple hook injuries, and Ditto bore scars from a shark bite.

Another loggerhead, Ginger, weighing 112 pounds, underwent a non-surgical hook removal with the aid of a medical endoscope. A 68-pound loggerhead, Saffron, was cleared for release after passing a small hook naturally just days after being rescued. The smallest of the group, Teine, a 13-pound juvenile green sea turtle, required only a brief checkup before being released.

Each turtle was cleared for release by Gulfarium veterinarians, animal care staff, and state wildlife officials.

“Days like today showcase not only the resiliency of these turtles, but also the importance of our work and the role the community plays in protecting marine life,” said Tabitha Siegfried, stranding coordinator for the Gulfarium CARE Center.

The Gulfarium CARE Center, which opened in 2015, has rehabilitated and released hundreds of sea turtles along the Emerald Coast. The center encourages anglers and beachgoers to properly dispose of fishing gear and to report injured or hooked turtles.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission asks the public to report distressed, injured, or deceased sea turtles to its 24-hour hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).

More information about the Gulfarium CARE Center and its patients is available at gulfarium.com/carecenter.