Rescued
» Track Flight and Release's Progress
» Watch a Video of the Turtle's Release
» Watch a Video of a CT Scan
» Watch a Video of the Rehabbed Turtle
» View a Photo Slideshow of the Release
On July 25, 2008, the Aquarium's Marine Animal Rescue Program (MARP) responded to a call from the U.S. Coast Guard about a loggerhead sea turtle that was in need of help.
The turtle was found floating in the inlet of Ocean City, Md., and was unable to dive properly, putting it at risk of becoming injured by a boat.
MARP staff responded and transported the animal to Baltimore for rehabilitation.
Upon admittance, the turtle was found to have an abundance of organisms living on its shell, including barnacles, blue mussels, and sea grasses.
Rehabilitated
Within the first few days of rehabilitation, the turtle had shed nearly 10 pounds of hitchhikers from its shell!
Once the shell was smooth and clean, the turtle was able to dive and feed properly, but was still severely underweight. The turtle was treated for a shell infection, and was taken to the Johns Hopkins Hospital for two separate CT scans.
During rehabilitation, the turtle ate a diet of capelin, squid, and blue crabs. Sea turtles will commonly feed on blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay, and Flight and Release was no exception—crabs are one of the turtle's favorite treats.
Flight and Release gained nearly 26 pounds while in rehab, and is currently at an ideal weight of 90 pounds! This was one of the longest rehabilitation periods for a marine animal rescued by MARP.
Released
Flight and Release was released from Assateague State Park on Saturday, September 19, in conjunction with Maryland Coastal Bays Program's Maryland Coast Day event.
Thanks to a generous donation from the Shared Earth Foundation, the turtle will carry a satellite transmitter for a short period of time after release. The satellite transmitter will allow MARP staff to track the location of the turtle after release.
