We watched Sea Turtles being released!

Our aquarium is very special in that it has a Sea Turtle hospital inside of it.

Sea turtles arrive with a variety of problems, including bacterial and fungal infections, shock from being exposed to cold temperatures, and wounds from boat strikes and shark bites. A full-time veterinarian is on staff to diagnose each turtle and with the help of hospital staff and volunteers, to provide treatments and rehabilitative care.

Once admitted, sick and injured sea turtles are given IV fluids, antibiotics, vitamins and other medications. Procedures include surgery, x-rays, ultrasounds and endoscopies, and blood transfusions for those that are severely anemic. The average length of stay for a sea turtle in rehabilitation is 7-8 months. When a turtle is deemed healthy enough to survive on its own, it is brought to a local beach to be returned to the ocean where it can rejoin the sea turtle population.

Yesterday we went down to the beach to watch as 7 of them got to be re-released back into the ocean…it was awesome…

Here he comes!