Park rangers from John D. MacArthur Beach State Park and staff members from Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park joined R/V ANGARI and her crew to release juvenile sea turtles offshore Palm Beach County.
EXPEDITION DETAILS
Park rangers from John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, staff members from Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park and guests boarded R/V ANGARI with their two FWC permitted female loggerhead sea turtles – Veronica (one year old) and Freed (10 months old) – and 18 loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings to release approximately 10 nm offshore. This was the first sea turtle release from R/V ANGARI.
Veronica and Freed lived at MacArthur Beach State Park since they were hatchlings as part of the Park’s educational sea turtle ambassador program to educate visitors about the importance of sea turtle conservation. The sea turtles came from Dr. Jeanette Wyneken’s lab at the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Research Gallery, located within the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, which studies how weather and climate affect sea turtle eggs and these implications on the population.
On August 13, 2024 R/V ANGARI departed West Palm Beach in search of the perfect open ocean location to safely release the sea turtles. During the hour heading offshore, the park rangers continuously monitored the sea turtles and provided any care needed until the vessel arrived on location. Once on site, the team mobilized to prepare to release the sea turtles from the stern of R/V ANGARI. Veronica was released first and sped off along the surface before diving down. Then Freed was released, and she dove straight down and out of sight quickly. Following the release of the juvenile loggerhead sea turtles, the hatchlings were released one at a time. Hatchlings are less mobile than the juveniles, and they floated nearby for awhile before slowly swimming away. All 20 loggerhead sea turtles were released successfully, and everyone onboard cheered in celebration!
All photos and videos were taken under permission and in accordance to permit #MTPP-23-147-19.
ABOUT FRIENDS OF MACARTHUR BEACH STATE PARK
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, Palm Beach County’s only state park, is situated on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Lake Worth Lagoon. The Park is made up of 436 acres of pristine coastal land and contains four different communities or habitats including seven species of plants and 22 species of animals on the endangered or threatened list. For more information about MacArthur Beach State Park visit, macarthurbeach.org.
EXPEDITION VIDEO