TAMPA, Fla. — A green sea turtle was rescued after being found stranded on a rural road one mile inland.
Rescuers named the turtle Buckley, and it was transported to the aquarium's Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center in Apollo Beach by the University of Florida's team.
Aquarium officials are unsure how Buckley ended up so far from home in Dixie County and are calling it a mystery, according to a Facebook post.
"While we may never fully know how Buckley ended up so far from home, our biologists are working hard to ensure a safe return to the wild," the post read.
Green sea turtles are endangered and mainly threatened by entanglement in fishing gear, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Increased beach development also causes degradation of their habitats and limits the number of nesting sites available.
Coastal development is another threat that increases artificial lightning which can cause hatchlings to migrate towards the light instead of the ocean.
Since the species is endangered, it is protected and Florida law restricts the disturbance and harassment of marine turtles, nests or eggs. Protection also extends to their habitats.
Here are some steps beachgoers can follow to make sure they don't disturb the turtle nests:
- Make sure to take everything with you when you leave the beach
- Fill in holes, knock down sandcastles and take furniture off the beach
- Don’t abandon fishing gear
- Don’t disturb nesting turtles or emerging hatchlings
- Do contact Florida Fish and Wildlife Rescue to report any dead or injured marine life
- Don’t use artificial light (cell phones, flash photography, fishing lamps) on the beach at night
- If you find a turtle (adult or hatchling) in distress, please call AMITWSBM at 941-301-8434, or FWC at 888-404-3922
If you see a stranded manatee or sea turtle in state waters call the FWC Wildlife Alert hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).
