Video: 2 rehabilitated sea turtles released in the Florida Keys; join Tour de Turtles
MARATHON, Fla. — Two rescued sea turtles have been released in the Florida Keys to join a "race" tracking their long-distance migration.
"Little Money," a 365-pound (166-kilogram) mature female green turtle, and "Coco," a 215-pound (98-kilogram) male loggerhead, were returned to the Atlantic Ocean Friday. The reptiles were rehabilitated and fitted with satellite tracking transmitters at the Florida Keys-based Turtle Hospital.
The turtles were treated for gastrointestinal issues and are the only rehabilitated turtles in the Tour de Turtles, an online monitoring program that will follow 17 satellite-tagged turtles for three months beginning Aug. 1. The turtle covering the most distance becomes the winner.
"Little Money" is the second largest turtle ever rehabilitated at the Turtle Hospital, where staff and volunteers have rescued, rehabilitated and returned turtles to the wild for more than 32 years.