Three Rehabilitated Sea Turtles Released Off Galveston After Audubon Rescue

The Audubon Aquarium Rescue team dedicated a significant amount of time to rehabilitating three sea turtles, enabling them to swim freely again in the Gulf of Mexico. Two Kemp's ridley sea turtles, which are highly endangered, and one large loggerhead sea turtle were recently set free off the coast of Galveston, Texas.

The Kemp's ridleys, which were given the names Libra and Dorado, were saved last winter after they got too cold in the water off New England. It took months of care in New Orleans for both turtles to get better. The two turtles are the 26th and 27th Kemp's ridleys that Audubon has brought back to the Gulf this year.

A male loggerhead turtle named Francois, weighing 227 pounds and found floating upside down and badly dehydrated at Louisiana's Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in 2023, joined them. Francois gained 45 pounds while recovering from his care, which had lasted almost two years.

Federal partners helped choose Texas as the release site because Kemp's ridleys and loggerhead turtles inhabit the state's waters, and there is significant boat traffic along Louisiana's coast. The Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research at Texas A&M University at Galveston collaborated with Audubon to ensure the release would be safe.

Gabriella Harlamert, who is in charge of stranding and rehabilitation at Audubon Aquarium Rescue, said, "Seeing these turtles swim into the Gulf waters is satisfying for everyone who helped them get here." "Francois was with us for almost two years and got through a lot of health problems." It was amazing to see him go back to the ocean.

At NOAA Fisheries, the Audubon Aquarium is the primary partner for rescuing stranded marine mammals and sea turtles in Louisiana. They work to heal and release hurt or lost animals while collecting essential data on marine health.

See any marine mammals or sea turtles that are stuck or out of their natural habitat? Call Audubon Aquarium Rescue at 877-942-5343.

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