PUBLIC Sea Turtle Return to Sea this Saturday at Sombrero Beach 10 a.m

Fiona, a sub-adult loggerhead sea turtle will be returned to her ocean home on Saturday, October 22nd at 10:00 a.m.  Fiona was rescued the end of July just off shore of Crane Hammock Subdivision in Marathon.  Fiona was emaciated and entangled in fishing line and had ingested fishing line.  Treatment for Fiona included broad spectrum antibiotics, IV nutrition, cold laser therapy, vitamins, iron, lactulose and a healthy diet of fish and squid.  Fiona is fully recovered and has gained 15 pounds!  Please join us to celebrate her return to the ocean on Saturday at Sombrero Beach, Marathon.  The turtle ambulance will arrive at the beach at 9:30 a.m. with release promptly at 10:00 a.m.  See you there!

Fiona’s story makes me proud to be a Mom, proud to be a member of such a caring community and gives me hope for the future of our marine life.

Corbin, a 12 year old resident of Marathon was fishing off the dock at our neighborhood’s community beach when he spotted a large sea turtle in distress.  The turtle was sluggish and entangled in fishing line.  Corbin stopped fishing and called my daughter, Belle to get in contact with me to report the injured turtle.  Belle called me at the Turtle Hospital, then grabbed her girlfriend and headed to the beach to help Corbin.  By the time I arrived at the beach in the Turtle Hospital ambulance, a group of concerned neighbors had gathered to help with the rescue.  Fiona, the turtle was extremely thin, her flipper was entangled in braided fishing line and she had ingested fishing line coming out of her mouth.  Everyone helped to spot Fiona while I carefully entered the water and placed a stretched around her.  Gently I swam the frighteningly thin turtle to shallow water where the kids met me with the rescue tub.  All hands on the stretcher, the willing group carried Fiona to the ambulance.  Fiona’s body condition was critical and blood tests at the Turtle Hospital revealed low blood levels.  The ingested fishing line put Fiona in grave danger and the first few weeks of her rehabilitation was tedious.  With great care from the rehabilitation team at the Turtle Hospital, Fiona gradually put on weight, she passed the fishing line, and her blood levels returned to normal.