A small green sea turtle is back in the wild after a full-circle rescue effort by local marine scientists.
North Carolina State University Ph.D. candidate Lindsay Curl first spotted the distressed turtle back in April while conducting fieldwork near Harkers Island. Alongside fellow researchers and technicians from the Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, Curl rescued the animal and brought it to their facility.
The North Carolina Aquariums veterinary team immediately triaged the turtle before transferring it to the Pine Knoll Shores facility for rehabilitation. Over the last few months, caretakers helped the turtle gain weight and rebuild its strength. This week, the healthy sea turtle was released back into the ocean with its original rescuers looking on.
