An endangered sea turtle that was found wedged between rocks on a Florida beach has been rescued, authorities said Monday.
According to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, the loggerhead turtle had come ashore in Martin County to lay her eggs and was trying to return to the water through a narrow passage on the rocks but became stuck.
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A photo of a loggerhead sea turtle wedged between rocks in Florida. (Martin County Sheriff’s Office)
“She made desperate attempts to escape but then began to collapse,” the sheriff’s office said.
Deputy Sheriff Jose Garcia, along with firefighters and officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, launched a “full-scale rescue operation” to save the turtle.
It was released and put back into the water.
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Rescue workers rescue a loggerhead sea turtle that was stuck between rocks in Florida. (Martin County Sheriff’s Office)
Loggerheads are endangered and protected under the Endangered Species Act. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, loggerheads are the most abundant species of nesting sea turtle in the United States.
The greatest threat to their survival is bycatch – the unintentional capture by fishing gear, which can result in drowning or fatal injuries.
The photo shows a sea turtle stuck between rocks. (Martin County Sheriff’s Office)
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Many of the fishing gear that may pose a hazard include trawls, longlines, gillnets, hook and line, but may also include set nets, cages/traps and dredges.
