Shelly and The Turtle Hospital’s Bruce Squier strike a pose.
The Turtle Hospital, the Coast Guard, FWC and Monroe County Sheriff’s Office all stood watch as Shelly, a 300-pound adult male green sea turtle was released off Sombrero Beach. It took the combined efforts of all the agencies to rescue the turtle back in July, and then release him on Sept. 15.
The turtle was rescued off the Florida Keys in July where he was found entangled in an abandoned anchor line. “It took a village to rescue this giant sea turtle,” said the Turtle Hospital’s Bette Zirkelbach.
Shelly swam free this week, after two months of treatment at the Turtle Hospital in Marathon.
Weighing in at 300 pounds, this massive turtle was found entangled in an anchor line.
The turtle’s treatment involved amputation surgery, class 4 laser therapy, nebulizer breathing treatments, broad spectrum antibiotics, fluids, vitamins and a healthy diet of natural sea grass.Due to his size, it took a coordinated effort to rescue the turtle, and then release it. The Turtle Hospital, the Coast Guard, FWC and Monroe County Sheriff’s Department all played a part.
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Get Keys Weekly delivered right to your inbox along with a daily dose of Keys News.
Success! Please check your email for confirmation.
