PALM COAST, Fla. — A sea turtle who rehabilitated in the Tampa Bay area for six months made his way back home into the ocean with a new addition to his shell.
Otis was rescued after being stranded off the state's east coast in March. He was exposed to cold air and water temperatures for an extended period of time leading to hypothermia, a skin infection, anemia and a bacterial infection, according to a news release.
He was taken to the University of Florida’s Whitney Lab Sea Turtle Hospital and Volusia Marine Science Center along with 29 other green sea turtles before being moved to The Florida Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center.
During his recovery he received antibiotics, and before being released, biologists attached a satellite tag to his shell so they could track his travels and gather conservation data.
"By monitoring post-release behavior through satellite tags, we gather critically important information that helps us better understand their activity patterns and environmental preferences, tracking their success and ultimately guiding our future rehabilitation and conservation efforts," said director Ashley Riese.
The tracking device sends a signal to a satellite each time Otis surfaces to breathe, which will help researchers monitor his activities including feeding behaviors, travel patterns and environmental conditions like water temperatures.
You can track Otis here.
Anyone who sees a stranded or dead sea turtle or marine mammal within Sarasota or Manatee County waters is encouraged to call Mote's Stranding Investigations Program, a 24-hour response service, at 888-345-2335.
If you see a stranded manatee or sea turtle in state waters call the FWC Wildlife Alert hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).
