Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Turtle Adventure Part 1

This turtle adventure started with a phone call! I received a call from Bon Secour Refuge office telling me that their plans to pick up two turtles that had been rehabilitated in Florida had been changed because of a turtle stranding on the Ft. Morgan Beaches. They asked if I could help!!!! I was absolutely thrilled to help, and drive over to Gulf Breeze and pick up these little guys. So the next afternoon I traded my car for a giant refuge truck and continued driving over the Florida line to pick up the sea turtles that were being released the next morning. I met the ladies from the Gulfarium who had helped these little guys get back in swimming condition. The turtles were packed safely for travel in their containers one was small about the size of your hand he had lost a flipper earlier this year but was doing well now. This turtle swam up to a little girl playing in the water. The other container was a surprise to me I was expecting another hand size turtle and this one was the size of a platter.
This one was also doing well after it was found swimming in circles off of the Florida coast.


Both turtles made the hour drive back to the Bon Secour Refuge Office where the wildlife biologist and one of the wonderful interns, made sure the radio tag was working and they turtles were doing well after the drive. Everyone was doing well and feeling good we got a short turtle biology lesson and they let these guys rest for a bit before their journey out to sea the next day. I was completely honored to be a part of this release effort even if it was just driving a truck.