DARE COUNTY, N.C. (WAVY) — Families and turtle lovers gathered on Coquina Beach on Tuesday, July 25 to cheer on two rehabilitated sea turtles as they returned to the ocean.
Two rehabilitated sea turtles were released promptly at 8:30 a.m. at the Coquina Beach access.
The two sea turtles released were a 335-pound adult male loggerhead named Behemoth and a small juvenile green sea turtle named Frozone, who had a terrible case of frostbite.
The Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation Initiative, or S.T.A.R, worked with North Carolina Aquarium to nurse vulnerable turtles back to health.
Behemoth has spent almost a full year at the S.T.A.R. Center.
In a Facebook post about Behemoth, the aquarium wrote, in part, “While many people; staff, visitors, and volunteers alike, have grown to love this big boy, it is always the ultimate goal for our turtle patients to return home.” They posted video showing how many people it takes to get him out of the pool because of his large size. They had to use a specially designed sea turtle stretcher.
“I cry every time,” S.T.A.R. Manager Amber Hitt said. “It’s like a proud mom moment when they’re finally leaving the house or leaving the nest.”
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