Sea turtle release Saturday morning in Gulfport
Sea turtle release Saturday morning in Gulfport By: Posted: Jul 28, 2018 05:22 AM CDT Updated: Jul 28, 2018 05:22 AM CDT
Sea turtle returned to Gulf of Mexico. Image from 2016 Copyright by WKRG – All rights reserved
Sea turtle returned to Gulf of Mexico. Image from 2016
Gulfport, MS (WKRG) – Several sea turtles are going home Saturday morning. Here’s a news release from the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport:
The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies (IMMS) in Gulfport plans to release several endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles that were rehabilitated at its facility. The release will take place at the Courthouse Pier in Gulfport at 10 am on Saturday 7/28. The Boy Scouts of America will assist in their release. The public is welcome to attend and observe.
The turtles that are scheduled to be released were all caught on fishing hooks by anglers here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. But, luckily for these turtles, the anglers called IMMS to alert the rescue team of the incidents. Staff responded to collect the animals and bring them to the IMMS veterinary hospital, where they were cared for and treated by a Mississippi State University Veterinarian, Dr. Debra Moore, who is stationed at the facility. Dr. Moore states that “the majority of the turtles that come to us have been accidentally hooked by anglers, causing serious injuries. With proper treatment, they have a strong chance at living a long life in the wild post-release.” Dr. Mystera Samuelson, a behavioral ecologist at IMMS, added that “by releasing these turtles back into the Gulf, we are helping to preserve this critically endangered species.” Through this work, funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Federation, IMMS, Mississippi State University, DMR, NOAA, and USF&WS are working hard to restore this critically endangered species to the Gulf of Mexico. IMMS president Dr. Moby Solangi stated that “we have a unique opportunity to observe this critically endangered species here in the Mississippi Sound. It is vitally important to their survival that we work to protect them.”
If you accidentally hook a sea turtle, please be sure that you do not cut the line and let the animal go. Instead please put the animal in a safe place, out of direct sunlight and call the IMMS Stranding Hotline: 1-888-SOS-DOLPHIN. Our hotline is manned by trained IMMS responders 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – even on holidays! There is no punishment for hooking a sea turtle, instead our staff – and the turtle – will thank you for your efforts!