Two sea turtles released in West Palm Beach

Friends of John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, the ANGARI Foundation and the Florida Park Service teamed up last week to release two young female loggerhead turtles.

One-year-old Veronica and 10-month-old Freed had been in the care of MacArthur Beach State Park staff since they were three months old. While they were being rehabilitated for release, the turtles were part of the park's Sea Turtle Ambassador Program, which educates the more than 150,000 state park visitors each year – more than 4,000 of whom are high school students who participate in sea turtle-related programs.

John D. MacArthur Beach State Park is the only state park in Florida authorized to house sea turtles. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has granted the park a permit to house two juvenile loggerhead turtles for educational purposes. The park receives its turtles from Dr. Jeanette Wyneken's laboratory at Florida Atlantic University's Research Gallery, located in the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. Her study focuses on the effects of weather and climate on sea turtle eggs and the associated consequences.

Park staff are being consulted by Florida Fish and Wildlife, sea turtle researchers and sea turtle veterinarians to ensure the turtles are healthy and receiving the best care. Before their release, both turtles were examined one final time and cleared by the teams.

The sea turtles were released off the coast of West Palm Beach from the ANGARI Foundation's 65-foot research vessel, R/V. ANGARIWhile the ANGARI Foundation has supported sea turtle research aboard its vessel in the past, this is the first release of sea turtles from R/V ANGARI.