Saturday, Feb. 7th, brought a celebration of marine conservation as volunteers released 16 rehabilitated sea turtles back into Gulf waters at Marker 35 on Mustang Island.
The released turtles, including a loggerhead sea turtle, had been rescued from local beaches and rehabilitated by the ARK - Amos Rehabilitation Keep. Each turtle faced different challenges during their recovery journey.
Among the rescued animals was a cold-stunned green sea turtle from the most recent winter storm. Other turtles in the group had suffered from various injuries and illnesses, including entanglement, jetty rock entrapment, pneumonia, and two turtles that had swallowed fishing hooks.
The crowd witnessed a special moment with the release of Antoine, a loggerhead sea turtle rescued in late October. Antoine defied the odds during rehabilitation and created a long list of firsts for the ARK facility.
Andrew Orgill, ARK Staff Supervisor, emphasized the importance of these public releases for both education and community engagement.
"These turtles releases are a great chance for people to come out. We are able to spread awareness about what we do and also the risk these turtles face. It's really good to have the same community that is calling the turtles into us to see their release as well," Orgill said.
Orgill, who has dedicated his career to helping sea creatures find their way back home, stressed the importance of maintaining healthy wild populations of these marine animals.
Anyone who encounters a turtle in distress should call the ARK at 1-866-TURTLE-5.
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