Wild Amelia Nature Festival – Ga Sea Turtle Center draws huge crowd as sea turtles released

Article and photos

Submitted by Kathy Brooks

A huge crowd of about 500 residents and tourists gathered at Main Beach in Fernandina on Saturday, September 1, to watch the release of three juvenile green sea turtles by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, partnering with the Wild Amelia Nature Festival.  These three turtles--Helio-Noel, Nibi, and Bault--had been found injured, sick, or stranded in Florida waters or beaches and rehabilitated by the excellent medical staff of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center over the past several months.  Pictured is Helio-Noel, who was caught in a Mayport Naval Station dredge in December 2011 and suffered from a fractured carapace (top shell) and plastron (lower shell), but healed and now back at home in the beautiful Atlantic.

September 3, 2012 7:34 a.m.