Two Injured Loggerhead Turtles Return to the Atlantic After Rehabbing in Florida

May 14th, 8:00 AM EDT

By NEWSnet Digital Team

Loggerhead turtle in the Bay of Laganas at Zakynthos Marine Park on August 10, 2022 in Zakinthos, Greece.

Photo by Athanasios Gioumpasis/Getty Images

JUNO BEACH, Fla. (NEWSnet/AP) — A crowd cheered as two loggerhead sea turtles slowly made their way through the sand and into the Atlantic Ocean on Monday after rehabbing at a Florida marine life center.

Cayman and Finley arrived at Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach after separate incidents left them injured, officials said. The center treats injured turtles and releases them back into their natural habitat as soon as they are healthy enough to survive on their own.

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Cayman’s front left flipper became entangled in fishing line, and he was brought to the center on Feb. 6, in need of surgery, said Dr. Heather Barron, a veterinarian and the center’s chief science officer.

Finley had a fishing hook embedded in his shoulder when he arrived on April 27.

The turtles were released on the beach just across from the research center, which is north of West Palm Beach.

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