MIAMI – It was a happy homecoming for a young green sea turtle, which after undergoing rehab at the Miami Seaquarium, was released Thursday into the waters off Bill Bags State Park.
The turtle, nicknamed Peppermint, was rescued last December after being found washed ashore in the Miami Beach area. The turtle was very thin and dehydrated, and the team members who cared for it were concerned that the animal would not make it through the night.
Peppermint was treated for pneumonia and slowly began to show improvement each day.
The keeper team was excited to see the progress. They said the turtle became more active, was a great eater, and was finally medically cleared for release.
“It’s always exciting for us, this is what we do, this is what we’re here for. These turtles come to us with all kinds of injuries. We see entanglements, we see boat strike injuries, in the winter months we see a lot of pneumonia, so it’s great to watch them heal and watch them grow up a little bit and then go back out into the ocean,” said Julie Heyde, the park’s Animal Care Supervisor.
The hope is that once mature, Peppermint will contribute to the wild green sea turtle population and continue to be successful out in the ocean. Green sea turtles play an important role in the ecosystem.
