Sea Life Aquarium Rehabilitates And Releases Endangered Kemp's
Ridley Sea Turtle, Stranded In Holland, Back Into The Gulf of
Mexico
GRAPEVINE, Texas, Nov. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A juvenile female
Kemp's ridley sea turtle, found
stranded on the shores of the
Netherlands, was released back into the Gulf of Mexico off the Padre National Seashore
today by SEA LIFE Aquarium Grapevine, SEA LIFE Aquarium
Scheveningen, Animal Rescue Keep, National Park Service and U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service personnel. The Kemp's ridley turtle, named Flip by her
rescuers, is one of the most endangered species of marine sea
turtles.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121109/DA10216)
Flip is outfitted with a satellite transmitter so the public can
track her movements online at www.seaturtle.org by clicking "Track
a Sea Turtle" and searching Flip's name.
Flip was found injured and cold-stunned by passers-by on the
shores of Holland, near the city
of The Hague, on December 10, 2011, roughly 5,000 nautical miles
from her home in the Gulf of Mexico. She was taken to SEA
LIFE Aquarium Scheveningen to begin a long rehabilitation
process. After her first month at SEA LIFE and much TLC by
the staff, Flip started feeding again, and since January of 2012,
has steadily grown, gaining weight and strength.
Flip flew non-stop from Amsterdam to Houston on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and
arrived on Thursday, November 1. She was then transported by
the SEA LIFE Aquarium Grapevine team to the Port Aransas Animal
Rehabilitation Keep, where a health assessment was conducted and
Flip was deemed in excellent health for her release into the
Gulf of Mexico.
For more information on Flip's story visit the SEA LIFE
Scheveningen website at
http://www.visitsealife.com/Scheveningen/en/.
The success of this effort is a result of international
cooperation with SEA LIFE Scheveningen and SEA LIFE Grapevine,
Texas. SEA LIFE provides a strong commitment to marine life
education, conservation and rehabilitation, and is part of MERLIN
ENTERTAINMENTS, a worldwide network of entertainment and
educational attractions and the world's biggest global aquarium
operator. Also participating are KLM Royal Dutch Airlines,
the University of Texas Marine Science
Institute, Animal Rehabilitation Keep, the U.S. National Park
Service, the government of Holland, NOAA Fisheries, and the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service.
Images and video upon request.
For more information on SEA LIFE Aquarium Grapevine visit
www.sealifeus.com/grapevine. Follow us at
www.facebook.com/sealifegrapevine and
www.twitter.com/sealifegrpevine.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Kelle
Jackson, 1-214-662-6644, kj@jacksonflaggpr.com
Catharine Flagg, 1-214-697-1952,
cf@jacksonflaggpr.com
SOURCE SEA LIFE Aquarium