WHAT: A 72.16 pound sub-adult loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) will complete its transition from rescue to release on Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. (weather and surf permitting – confirmation will be posted the morning of on facebook.com/loggerheadmarinelifecenter) with help from the Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC) rehabilitation staff and volunteers that have cared for it since January 21, 2011. The public is invited to attend Ryker’s release into the wild beachside at Loggerhead Park in Juno Beach. Pre-release procedures will begin at 10:00 a.m. The event is free.

RykerThen: Ryker in January upon arrival to Loggerhead Marinelife Center.

RykerNow: A healthy Ryker is ready to be released back into the sea.

BACKGROUND:  Ryker is a sub-adult loggerhead (Caretta caretta) that stranded just north of the inlet in Daytona Beach on January 17, 2011. The turtle was originally brought to the Volusia County Marine Science Center where it received four days of care before arriving at Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Upon stranding, the turtle weighed a mere 58.3 pounds and was weak and covered in barnacles. Ryker suffered from dehydration, malnutrition, anemia, and a skin infection. Upon a full veterinary examination, the hospital staff at Loggerhead Marinelife Center noted an old injury to the top right portion of Ryker’s jaw. The injury indicates a hook may have been ripped out of Ryker’s mouth.

Ryker’s treatment plan included antibiotics, fluids, vitamins and nutritional therapy. Volunteers gently removed the barnacles that covered Ryker during the turtle’s first days at the Gordon & Patricia Gray Veterinary Hospital. From there, the turtle received weekly iron injections. After six months of rehabilitation, the turtle’s weight has increased nearly 20 pounds to 74.69 pounds and the turtle’s anemia and skin infection have resolved. View a video taken of Ryker earlier today by clicking here. Photos attached.

LOCAL LOGGERHEAD TURTLES: LMC biologists recorded 8,193 loggerhead nests in 2010 along 9.8 miles of shoreline in Juno Beach, Jupiter and Tequesta, at their highest since 2001. Of the 172 sea turtles admitted to the LMC hospital last year, 42 were loggerhead sea turtles.

LOGGERHEAD TURTLE FACTS: Most common sea turtle in Florida; Named for its large head; Powerful jaws crush mollusks, crabs and encrusting animals attached to reefs and rocks; Adults weigh 200-350 pounds and measure about 3 feet in length; Nest in Florida from late April to September

WHEN: Preparations to release Ryker will begin at LMC (14200 US Highway One, Juno Beach) at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 20, 2011. Ryker will be released into the wild on the beach at Loggerhead Park at 10:30 a.m. Media and the public may attend one or both events.

CONTACT: Brittany Jo Miller, Sr. Coord., Marketing & Communications, 561.627.8280 extension 115 or 561.889.6649, [email protected]

About Loggerhead Marinelife Center:

Loggerhead Marinelife Center, a non-profit organization, is committed to the conservation of Florida’s coastal ecosystems through public education, research and rehabilitation with a focus on threatened and endangered sea turtles. The center features an on-site campus hospital, learning exhibits and aquariums. Situated on the world’s most important sea turtle nesting beach, Loggerhead Marinelife Center is open daily and plays host to over 200,000 visitors each year. For more information, visit www.marinelife.org or call 561-627-8280.