Marine Life Mystery: Stranded Sea Turtle Found A Mile From The Ocean, Receiving Rehabilitation At The Florida Aquarium

November 15, 2024

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Apollo Beach, FL (November 15, 2024) – It is a mystery to sea turtle biologists at The Florida Aquarium how a green sea turtle, named Buckley, wound up more than a mile from the Gulf of Mexico, only to be found stranded on a rural road in Dixie County, north of Cedar Key off SW Highway 361 and SW 583rd Avenue.

While the animal care team may never know the tale of this distressed turtle’s harrowing journey from the ocean, fortunately, a Good Samaritan spotted Buckley and called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hotline for help.

“For Buckley to be able to get from that dirt road back to the ocean would be a very difficult journey and probably not likely, if these good Samaritans were not there in the right time, right place, and came upon Buckley,” said Ashley Riese, The Florida Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Program Director.

The University of Florida initially responded to rescue the turtle and transferred the care to the team at The Florida Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center in Apollo Beach, where Buckley is currently undergoing treatment. Due to recent hurricanes, right now, the Aquarium’s rehab center is the only facility on the west coast able to take in new sea turtles for care.

>>> CLICK HERE TO DOWNLAD VIDEO OF BUCKLEY’S ARRIVAL

AND EXAM AT THE FLORIDA AQUARIUM, PHOTOS & SOUND <<<

Courtesy: The Florida Aquarium

Riese says considering the circumstances, Buckley is doing remarkably well—an initial exam doesn’t show any external injuries. Additional bloodwork will help the team craft a medical care plan and nutrition plan for Buckley’s rehabilitation. Biologists’ goal is to return Buckley back home to the Gulf of Mexico—a happy ending to this marine life mystery.

For more information on The Florida Aquarium’s sea turtle rehabilitation work and conservation program, click here. To report an injured animal, call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or text 847411 (Tip411) with keyword “FWC” and the information about the situation.

To note: All sea turtle rehabilitation work conducted by The Florida Aquarium is done with the approval of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) under conditions not harmful to marine turtles and authorized under conservation activities pursuant to FWC MTP-24-179.