Rehabilitated sea turtle launched in Florida Keys to hitch Tour de Turtles

A juvenile inexperienced sea turtle rehabilitated on the Florida Keys-based Turtle Hospital was fitted with a satellite-tracking transmitter and launched Friday to hitch a web based race that follows long-distance migrations of sea turtles.

The Tour de Turtles, now in its sixteenth 12 months, is organized yearly by the Sea Turtle Conservancy. Beginning Aug. 1, the group will observe a dozen sea turtles launched from seashores in Florida and several other Caribbean islands.

“The Tour de Turtles is raising awareness about sea turtles and the threats to their survival,” Sea Turtle Conservancy senior analysis biologist Dr. Dan Evans mentioned. “We are also learning about where they’re going, where they’re finding food, and what the possible threats to those areas are.”

The younger inexperienced sea turtle named Marcia, who was discovered floating off the Middle Keys in March, suffered from constructive buoyancy dysfunction. The situation leaves sea turtles unable to dive down for meals. Causes embody inner an infection, gastrointestinal tract obstruction and spinal or lung accidents, generally brought on by boat strikes.

Officials on the Turtle Hospital handled Marcia, who weighs about 50 kilos (23 kilograms), with broad-spectrum antibiotics, fluids, nutritional vitamins and a food plan of greens and blended seafood.

“It’s really important to protect sea turtles like Marcia,” Turtle Hospital basic supervisor Bette Zirkelbach mentioned. “This tracking and the information it brings to scientists through Tour de Turtles is going to help this species survive.”