CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — On Sunday morning, a tradition will continue along our Texas Coast—the Texas Sealife Center invites the community to participate in the release of two Loggerheads and a Green Sea Turtle patient.
The Texas Sealife Center has been rehabilitating turtles since 2012.
Director Amanda Terry said the three turtles that will be released have been at the center for about three months.
"We have two fishing line entanglements. The little green had fishing line entanglements around his flipper. The same thing with loggerhead, he had a large fishing rope around his neck," Terry said.
She added that primarily, the turtles come in with fishing line entanglement and sometimes with bad shark bites.
They treat the turtles with antibiotics and make sure they are staying healthy before they release them back into the Gulf.
"They have to be gaining weight, their blood levels have to be at a certain level that is determined by our veterinarian. They actually make the ultimate decision," Terry said. "After input from us on how they are doing, generally if they are eating, if their behaviors are normal and things like that, and then he makes the call medically."
Terry said to help keep the turtles safe, she reminds people to clean up any trash.
"These turtles will eat anything that they come in contact with. They'll eat plastic bags, bottles, anything like that. So picking up any of that, you know going slower in the Laguna area, so we don't get boat strikes," she said.
Terry said the best thing is to be able to see them go home. There are currently 10 turtles in the facility, and two of the turtles being released are about 150 pounds each, so that will be pretty exciting to see.
The turtle release is happening this Sunday at Mile Marker 216 on Padre Island at 11 a.m.
For information on how to donate or to learn more about the Texas Sealife Center, click here.
