"I'll Be Home for Christmas" - 4 endangered sea turtles to be returned to wild on Chri
By KATIE LANDECK News Herald Reporter
PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL
Four endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles that were rescued by Gulf World Marine Park around Thanksgiving are being released back to the wild on Thursday.
Three of the turtles — Cranberry, Apple, and Pecan — were spotted by a United States Geological Research team in the Port St. Joe area. The other one, Trace, was picked up a few days earlier.
“They were very lethargic,” said Secret Holmes-Douglas, Gulf World’s zoological director. “Anytime a sea turtle can’t get away from you quickly, that’s not good.”
The Kemp’s ridley reportedly is the most endangered sea turtle, primarily because of the harvest of adults and eggs and incidental capture in commercial fishing, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. Once abundant, only 702 nests were counted in 1985.
Those numbers have grown steadily since then, and officials hope they will recover.
Despite their low numbers, Holmes-Douglas said housing four Kemp’s ridleys, which are one of the smallest turtles at only 2 feet long, “does happen on occasion.”
The turtles were brought to Gulf World’s institute, where they were given fluids and antibiotics in addition to a check-up. Now 30 days after their last dose of antibiotics, they will be released at Cape Palms Park at Cape San Blas at 10 a.m. Christmas Eve.
“It’s not necessarily easy, but the rehab for turtles is pretty cut and dry,” Holmes-Douglas said. “We try not to get attached because we know they need to be released, but it’s rewarding to see the rehabilitation.”
Gulf World has treated about 150 sea turtles this year, according to Holmes-Douglas. The number fluctuates depending on the weather. One particularly cold year, she said they saw more than 2,000 turtles that were “cold stunned.”
While they are not seeing cold-stunned turtles in the Gulf of Mexico right now, they are showing up in New England, she said. As a result, Gulf World is preparing to receive turtles in need of care from up north.
If people see a stranded or injured turtle, they can call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s 24-hour hotline at 1-888-404-3922 or dial *FWC.
In other news, Gulf World, which has been closed to the public since Nov. 30 for renovations, will reopen Saturday.
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