GULF SHORES, Ala. — Two sea turtles that had been tangled in fishing gear are swimming free in the Gulf of Mexico again after months of treatment and rehabilitation, a reminder of both the dangers discarded fishing equipment poses to marine wildlife and the resources dedicated to saving injured animals along the Alabama coast.
The first turtle released, a young loggerhead named Skipper, was hooked in May. Rescuers found fishing line and lead weights wrapped tightly around one of his flippers.
“It was about 10 pounds of extra weight that was hanging off this turtle’s flipper, and it was starting to embed in that flipper tissue,” said Theresa Madrigal, the Stranding Coordinator at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies.
Madrigal said the case underscores a broader problem facing wildlife along the Gulf Coast. “It’s really important to dispose of your gear properly. Not just sea turtles are affected by this, but all wildlife,” she said.
An Endangered Species Gets a Second Chance
The second turtle released was Pudge, an endangered young Kemp’s ridley who was hooked through her left front flipper back in March. Both turtles received treatment at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Mississippi before being cleared to return to the wild.
For the team involved in these rescues, every successful release carries extra weight given how few Kemp’s ridleys remain. Hillary Bryan, a naturalist with Gulf State Park, said the numbers illustrate the stakes.
“It’s what makes it worth it,” Bryan said. “We’ve had 59 hookings this year and only 14 successes. There are not very many left of the species, and if we don’t do anything, they will no longer be here.”
The Kemp’s ridley is considered the most endangered sea turtle species in the world, and Gulf Coast waters are an important habitat for the species. Every successful rehabilitation and release is treated as a meaningful contribution to the species’ survival.
A Moment That Resonated With Beachgoers
The releases drew onlookers to the beach, including sisters Sherry and Carolyn Davies, who described the experience as emotional.
“It was so awesome because we track the turtles before, and we walk the beach, and we try to pick up the trash and stuff,” Sherry Davies said after watching the release.
“This is the first one we’ve seen, but it definitely won’t be the last,” Carolyn Davies added. “I almost cried!”
Tracking Pudge’s Next Journey
Pudge’s release came with an added feature: researchers attached a small satellite transmitter to her shell before she returned to the water, allowing her movements to be monitored remotely.
“Every time that turtle comes up to breathe at the surface, it’s going to send a transmission to the satellite. And then we’re able to track its movements,” Madrigal explained.
That transmitter will now give researchers a window into where Pudge travels next, adding to the broader body of knowledge scientists use to understand and protect sea turtle populations along the Gulf Coast. Officials continue to urge anglers and beachgoers to dispose of fishing line, hooks and other gear properly to prevent future injuries to sea turtles and other wildlife.