In the happy ending of two stories that could have been tragic, Cayman and Finley came home this Monday after recovering from his injuries at a South Florida marine life center.
The two loggerhead turtles were returned to their natural habitat, in the Atlantic Oceanafter rehabilitating at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, where both arrived with injuries caused in separate incidents.
The people present when they were released, on Monday morning, cheered and applauded very excitedly while the turtles They moved slowly across the sand in search of the sea.
Dr. Heather Barron, veterinarian and scientific director of the research center, explained to the news agency AP what Cayman was taken there on February 6 because her left front fin became tangled in fishing line..
Chelonian’s condition required surgery to remove necrotic tissue and bone from that fin.
“We went in and surgically cleaned all that out. And she has done very well. She has recovered wonderfully from surgery. Now you can’t even see the scar,” Barron stressed.
On April 27, Finley entered the marine center with a fishing hook embedded in his shoulder.
In the doctor’s opinion, the fishing device “came out very easily.” However, she warned that “the ability of a dirty hook to cause a really nasty infection should never be underestimated.” Finley was treated with antibiotics.
The turtles were released on the beach, right in front of the research center, located north of West Palm Beach, in an emotional and jubilant ceremony. “It’s always a beach party,” said Andy Dehart, president and CEO of Loggerhead Marinelife Center.
Dehart said the staff always gets excited about giving back to the sea turtles to their habitat. “Seeing them return to the ocean is the best part of our job,” she said.
