SARASOTA, Fla. -- A 220-pound loggerhead turtle named Independence got his independence.
Mote volunteers released the sea turtle off Anna Maria Island Thursday morning.
He was found on July 1 off Longboat Key and spent a month recovering from red tide at Mote’s Turtle Hospital.
Some ask with all the red tide out there why is Mote releasing the sea turtle back into the gulf.
Gretchen Lovewell, Mote’s Stranding Investigation Project manager explained, “We don’t have red tide where we release him up off Anna Maria Island. Once an animal is medically cleared, we’re bound by FWC to get them back in the wild. We’re giving them the best chance out here and not be in our critical care tanks. When cleared, we let them go to make room for the next one.”
The turtle has a satellite tag to monitor his movement and behavior.
Mote says another turtle released on Friday named Intrepid also has a satellite tag and it shows he swam north away from the red tide bloom
If you see a marine animal in distress, Mote says to give them a call or FWC as soon as possible. Lovewell said every minute counts. The sooner they are treated and start getting the toxins flushed out of their system, the better chance they have of a full recovery, just like Independence.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10 News app now.
Have a news tip? Email tips@wtsp.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
