Releasing Re-habbed Kemps Ridley Turtles on St. George Island

One of the coolest things about living here is getting to be a part of the community of sea turtle lovers!  Today we got to watch the release of two juvenile Kemps Ridley turtles that had been through rehab in Panama City.  One was caught here on St. George by a fishing hook imbedded in his neck, the other was found in Panama City with respiratory difficulty.  Both were rehabbed and deemed ready for release back into the wild this week.

Bruce Drye, our local sea turtle expert and permit holder, gave a short presentation on where the turtles were found, and how they were rehabbed, along with good info on what to do if you find a stranded or injured sea turtle (call FWC!). 

Two of his volunteers then released the juveniles at the edge of the surf, and they both took off straight for the water.  The transformation was amazing when they hit the water - it is so obviously their universe of choice - they went from scraping along the sand with their flippers, lugging their big bodies along, to absolutely flying in the water, once they were submerged. 

Beautiful day, beautiful creatures.  We are so lucky to live here.

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