Mote releases turtle off Anna Maria Island

A female loggerhead sea turtle made her way back home today.

After two-and-a-half months of rehabilitative care at Mote Marine Laboratory, Mike the sea turtle was released off Anna Maria Island on April 10.

Mike was rescued off Longboat Key and brought to Mote’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital on Jan. 23, a press release from Mote said. When she was rescued, Mike was lethargic and was suspected to be affected by red tide algae toxins. Mote provided food, daily fluids and antibiotic therapy for possible pneumonia. After regaining strength, Mote was able to medically clear her for release, the statement said.

Mike arrived at Mote with a passive integrated transponder, which givers her a barcode identification number similar to the microchips of cats and dogs, Mote’s statement said. The University of Central Florida implanted the tag in 2011 when Mike nested in Brevard County.

"The beautiful thing about this animal is that she's an adult female; she's one of the turtles we see nesting on Florida's beaches,"  Lynne Byrd, Medical Care and Rehabilitation Coordinator at Mote said in the statement. "She was previously tagged by others on a nesting beach on Florida's east coast. It's heartwarming to think that she can once again contribute to the population."

During her release, Mike was placed on the beach then made a quick getaway into the sea, just in time for nesting season which runs from May 1 to Oct. 31.

Reports of distressed or dead sea turtles or nests can be made to Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program.  For issues from Longboat Key to Venice call 388-4331. For issues within Manatee and Sarasota county waters call Mote’s Stranding Investigations Program at  988-0212.