Rescued turtle returns to the ocean after treatment

• The turtle, weighing 302 pounds, returned to the ocean after treatment.
• The center treated the turtle for several months after being injured.
• The nesting season is ongoing, and the turtle may have a chance to lay eggs.

Juno Beach, Florida — A large turtle, which was found injured by a boat, has returned to the ocean in the middle of the nesting season.

The female turtle named Peniviz, weighing 302 pounds (137 kilograms), was seen healthy and strong enough for release back into the wild after treatment by the veterinary team at the Loggerhead Marine Life Center over the past few months.

“Rescue of turtles from boats is fatal. To see how Peniviz was doing after the injury and managed to make it to our center was very, very special,” said Marika Weber, a veterinary technician at the center. “It was that we could correct it, rehabilitate her and return her back to the ocean.”

The center managed to transport the turtle to a clinic for diagnostic testing, as she was found with a large amount of water in her lungs. It was there that the team discovered that she was full of eggs.

As the nesting season continues, Peniviz may have the opportunity to lay her eggs and continue her important role in the marine ecosystem.

“This was truly an exciting day,” said Weber. “We had a crowd — our whole team was there, the interns, all the departments there, to celebrate her success.”

As nesting season in Florida runs from March 1 to July 31, center representatives encourage boaters to be especially mindful of the area they call turtle protection zones, which extend a mile (1.6 kilometers) from the shore.

All sea turtles are considered endangered or threatened species.

Tags: USA/Ecology