‘Addie’ the sea turtle released after months of rehab

Old Seven Mile Bridge reopens in the Florida Keys

Florida Keys News Bureau video of the reopening of a section of the historic Old Seven Mile Bridge that is used for recreational activities and provides access to Pigeon Key. 

MARATHON, Fla. – A resilient sea turtle and a crowd of spectators in the Florida Keys made Earth Day a special event in the Sunshine State.

Video taken from the middle keys showed Addie, a green sea turtle, crawling through the white Florida sand, before entering the warm ocean water.

But Addie's return to the wild was nothing short of a miracle, because when she was first admitted to the Florida Keys’ Turtle Hospital in August, her prognosis was doubtful. 

The juvenile turtle was said to be suffering from a severe injury caused by a fishing hook and was covered in fibropapilloma tumors.

According to staff at the animal hospital, Addie underwent an extensive surgery process to remove the metal and tumors but encountered additional complications.

Following months of physical therapy and being fed through a tube, she began to quickly recover. 

"People want to do good things. And caring for sea turtles gives them something to care about," said Bette Zirkelbach, the hospital’s manager.

Staff at the Florida Keys’ Turtle Hospital in the middle keys released a green sea turtle back into the wild on Earth Day. The turtle overcame fibropapilloma tumors, a fishing injury and other health scares before being released.

(Florida Keys News Bureau / FOX Weather)

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Hospital staff closely monitored Addie’s progress over several months, and once she was considered to be strong enough to survive on her own, they determined the turtle was ready to be returned to the wild. 

The sea turtle’s release coincided with Earth Day, an international event dedicated to raising awareness about the environment and promoting conservation efforts.

The special day served as a fitting backdrop for the animal’s return, especially as the green sea turtle population faces mounting threats from habitat loss, rising ocean temperatures, pollution and entanglements in fish gear.

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According to the World Wildlife Fund, green turtles are considered to be endangered because of loss of eggs and entanglement in fishing gear.

In the U.S., the species is primarily found from North Carolina to Florida, around Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

According to the National Park Service, female green sea turtles generally nest during the summer, with peak season occurring in June and July.

The Florida Keys’ Turtle Hospital has been rescuing and rehabilitating sea turtles since 1986 and has returned thousands of reptiles back to the wild.