Marinelife Center Releases 5 Turtles Back to the Sea
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By PAMELA and GERRY BARKER
North Palm Beach Life JUNO BEACH _ Hundreds of people crowded onto Juno Beach Tuesday morning to witness Loggerhead Marinelife Center's largest sea turtle release in its history. Hannah Deadman, the Marinelife Center's public relations and communications coordinator, estimated the crowd "at between 400 and 500 people." From an earlier press release, the turtles included "Shertz, a juvenile loggerhead that was transferred from the New England Aquarium after the major sea turtle cold-stunning event in 2015; Bruce, a sub-adult Kemp's ridley found near Hutchinson Island earlier this year; Treble and Pearson, both sub-adult loggerheads that were accidentally hooked at the Juno Beach Pier in May; and Brie, a sub-adult loggerhead found near Hutchinson Island last spring." Juno Beach police helped manage the large influx of cars and people for the momentous occasion, which was staged on the beach across from the center's facilities on U.S. 1. At 11 am, the turtles were transported on ATVs as staffers walked ahead with signs bearing the names of the turtles. With phones, tablets and cameras at the ready, people cheered as each turtle was carried down to the surf to begin their journey back to the sea following their rehabilitation at the LMC hospital. “The most rewarding day for the rehabilitation staff is always the day a patient is returned to the wild,” said Dr. Charles Manire, LMC’s staff veterinarian and director of research and rehabilitation in their press release. “Being able to return five sea turtles to the wild all in one day will be very rewarding.” You can read more about each sea turtle patient’s journey, visit www.marinelife.org/patients. |
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North Palm Beach Life 
Hundreds came to Juno Beach to witness the release of the turtles.
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