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Loggerhead sea turtle released in Gulf of Mexico

Rachael Rich, 9, watches fish swim inside the tank of the Naples Conservatory's loggerhead turtle as she and other children wish the turtle goodbye before it is released on June 26, 2008.The turtle was taken to Minnesota by a tourist on vacation in Sanibel Island while the turtle was still a hatchling. Shortly thereafter, the turtle was turned over to the Minnesota Herpetological Society and lived in a Minnesota zoo for one year before it was brought to Naples in 2005. The turtle was released in Gullivan Bay in the 10,000 Islands off the Southern coast of Florida. Ed Matthews/Staff

Photo by ED MATTHEWS

Rachael Rich, 9, watches fish swim inside the tank of the Naples Conservatory's loggerhead turtle as she and other children wish the turtle goodbye before it is released on June 26, 2008.The turtle was taken to Minnesota by a tourist on vacation in Sanibel Island while the turtle was still a hatchling. Shortly thereafter, the turtle was turned over to the Minnesota Herpetological Society and lived in a Minnesota zoo for one year before it was brought to Naples in 2005. The turtle was released in Gullivan Bay in the 10,000 Islands off the Southern coast of Florida. Ed Matthews/Staff

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  • Noah Sipnick, 9, raises his hands to the glass of the loggerhead turtle at the Naples Conservatory while he and Katherine Jones, 9, wish it goodbye on Thursday, June 26, 2008. The turtle was released into the wild later that day. The turtle was taken to Minnesota by a tourist on vacation in Sanibel Island while the turtle was still a hatchling. Shortly thereafter, the turtle was turned over to the Minnesota Herpetological Society and lived in a Minnesota zoo for one year before it was brought to Naples in 2005. The turtle was released in Gullivan Bay in the 10,000 Islands off the Southern coast of Florida. Ed Matthews/Staff
  • The Naples Conservancy's loggerhead turtle swims around its tank before it is released into the wild on Thrusday, June 26, 2008. The turtle was taken to Minnesota by a tourist on vacation in Sanibel Island while the turtle was still a hatchling. Shortly thereafter, the turtle was turned over to the Minnesota Herpetological Society and lived in a Minnesota zoo for one year before it was brought to Naples in 2005. The turtle was released in Gullivan Bay in the 10,000 Islands off the Southern coast of Florida. Ed Matthews/Staff
  • Goodbye cards from students at Barfield Elementary to the Naples Conservancy's loggerhead turtle hang from a hallway wall inside the conservancy. The turtle was taken to Minnesota by a tourist on vacation in Sanibel Island while the turtle was still a hatchling. Shortly thereafter, the turtle was turned over to the Minnesota Herpetological Society and lived in a Minnesota zoo for one year before it was brought to Naples in 2005. The turtle was released in Gullivan Bay in the 10,000 Islands off the Southern coast of Florida. Ed Matthews/Staff
  • Katherine Jones, 9, smiles at volunteer counselor in training Gwen Hooley, right, as the kids say goodbye to the Naples Conservancy's loggerhead turtle before it is released on Thursday, June 26, 2008. The turtle was taken to Minnesota by a tourist on vacation in Sanibel Island while the turtle was still a hatchling. Shortly thereafter, the turtle was turned over to the Minnesota Herpetological Society and lived in a Minnesota zoo for one year before it was brought to Naples in 2005. The turtle was released in Gullivan Bay in the 10,000 Islands off the Southern coast of Florida. Ed Matthews/Staff
  • Rachael Rich, 9, watches fish swim inside the tank of the Naples Conservatory's loggerhead turtle as she and other children wish the turtle goodbye before it is released on June 26, 2008.The turtle was taken to Minnesota by a tourist on vacation in Sanibel Island while the turtle was still a hatchling. Shortly thereafter, the turtle was turned over to the Minnesota Herpetological Society and lived in a Minnesota zoo for one year before it was brought to Naples in 2005. The turtle was released in Gullivan Bay in the 10,000 Islands off the Southern coast of Florida. Ed Matthews/Staff
  • Troy Frensley, the Naples Conservatory's Education and Discovery Center Manager, grabs on to the loggerhead turtle to transport it to be released on Thursday, June 26, 2008. The turtle was taken to Minnesota by a tourist on vacation in Sanibel Island while the turtle was still a hatchling. Shortly thereafter, the turtle was turned over to the Minnesota Herpetological Society and lived in a Minnesota zoo for one year before it was brought to Naples in 2005. The turtle was released in Gullivan Bay in the 10,000 Islands off the Southern coast of Florida. Ed Matthews/Staff
  • NAples Conservatory Associate Jordan Walker, left, and Troy Frensley, the Conservatory's Education and Discovery Center Manager, carry a container holding a loggerhead turtle to a van so it could be transported to 10,000 Islands to be released on Thursday, June 26, 2008. The turtle was taken to Minnesota by a tourist on vacation in Sanibel Island while the turtle was still a hatchling. Shortly thereafter, the turtle was turned over to the Minnesota Herpetological Society and lived in a Minnesota zoo for one year before it was brought to Naples in 2005. The turtle was released in Gullivan Bay in the 10,000 Islands off the Southern coast of Florida. Ed Matthews/Staff
  • Dave Addison, Co-Director of Environmental Science for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, steers a boat out into the 10,000 Islands to release a loggerhead turtle on Thursday, June 26, 2008. The turtle was taken to Minnesota by a tourist on vacation in Sanibel Island while the turtle was still a hatchling. Shortly thereafter, the turtle was turned over to the Minnesota Herpetological Society and lived in a Minnesota zoo for one year before it was brought to Naples in 2005. The turtle was released in Gullivan Bay in the 10,000 Islands off the Southern coast of Florida. Ed Matthews/Staff
  • Troy Frensley, the Conservatory's Education and Discovery Center Manager, hands the loggerhead turtle off to Dave Addison, the Co-Director of Environmental Science before the turtle is released on Thursday, June 26, 2008. The turtle was taken to Minnesota by a tourist on vacation in Sanibel Island while the turtle was still a hatchling. Shortly thereafter, the turtle was turned over to the Minnesota Herpetological Society and lived in a Minnesota zoo for one year before it was brought to Naples in 2005. The turtle was released in Gullivan Bay in the 10,000 Islands off the Southern coast of Florida. Ed Matthews/Staff
  • Troy Frensley, the Conservatory's Education and Discovery Center Manager watches as Dave Addison, Co-Director of Environmental Science for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, pours water on to the loggerhead turtle to cool it down on Thursday, June 26, 2008. The turtle was taken to Minnesota by a tourist on vacation in Sanibel Island while the turtle was still a hatchling. Shortly thereafter, the turtle was turned over to the Minnesota Herpetological Society and lived in a Minnesota zoo for one year before it was brought to Naples in 2005. The turtle was released in Gullivan Bay in the 10,000 Islands off the Southern coast of Florida. Ed Matthews/Staff
  • Dave Addison, Co-Director of Environmental Science for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, steers the boat out into the 10,000 Islands to release a loggerhead turtle on Thursday, June 26, 2008.The turtle was taken to Minnesota by a tourist on vacation in Sanibel Island while the turtle was still a hatchling. Shortly thereafter, the turtle was turned over to the Minnesota Herpetological Society and lived in a Minnesota zoo for one year before it was brought to Naples in 2005. The turtle was released in Gullivan Bay in the 10,000 Islands off the Southern coast of Florida. Ed Matthews/Staff
  • Troy Frensley, the Conservatory's Education and Discovery Center Manager, releases a loggerhead turtle into the water on Thursday, June 26, 2008. The turtle was taken to Minnesota by a tourist on vacation in Sanibel Island while the turtle was still a hatchling. Shortly thereafter, the turtle was turned over to the Minnesota Herpetological Society and lived in a Minnesota zoo for one year before it was brought to Naples in 2005. The turtle was released in Gullivan Bay in the 10,000 Islands off the Southern coast of Florida. Ed Matthews/Staff
  • Troy Frensley readies a loggerhead turtle for transportation to a boat and eventual release Thursday in Gullivan Bay near Goodland. Frensley, education and discovery center manager for the Conservancy of Florida, said the turtle was taken illegally as a hatchling from Sanibel Island in 2005 and taken to Minnesota as a pet. It was subsequently turned into the Conservancy by air in first class, Frensley, and used as an ambassador in the discovery center before growing big enough to be release. The turtle has two tags, as well as a microchip tag for future monitoring.
  • Seemingly patient, the turtle awaits its release into waters off the Ten Thousand Islands by officials from the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.

A baby loggerhead sea turtle taken illegally by a Minnesota tourist visiting Sanibel Island in 2004 was released back into the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday. For the past two-plus years, the turtle has been living in a tank at the Conservancy museum to help educate visitors about the turtles. A crew from the Conservancy loaded the turtle into a van, drove it to the Goodland Marina and then took it by boat to a spot offshore for the final goodbye.

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