P R E S S R E L E A S EMedia Contact: Brian Dekle

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Gulf Specimen marine laboratorieS, inc.

222 Clark Drive, Panacea, FL 32346 • P.O. Box 237 • 850.984.5297 • gspecimen@sprintmail.com

November 5, 2015

The Kemp’s ridley sea turtle entangled in fishing line and encrusted with barnacles (earning him the name “Barney”) Gulf Specimen Marine Lab staff rescued nearly a month ago is healthy and ready to return home to local waters, GSML resident veterinarian Norman Griggs said Tuesday.

GSML will release Barney at 4 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 11 at Bald Point State Park near Panacea/Ochlockonee Bay. The public is welcome to come and check out the turtle’s “low-key” return back into the sea.

With a fishing hook lodged deep in his throat and tightly wound fishing line blocking the circulation of blood to a front flipper, the critically endangered Kemp’s ridley would have faced certain death if not for two local fisherman reporting their accidentally pulling in an apparently injured turtle the night of Oct. 8 as they fished off Alligator Point.

Cases like this indicate Gulf Specimen’s longtime sea turtle conservation education efforts are effective in helping save the lives of endangered sea turtles, GSML Executive Director Cypress Rudloe said.

“I was working late at the lab one night, and I happened to get a call from some local fisherman I know, saying they had pulled in an apparently injured turtle from one of their nets,” Rudloe explained. “This is the second time I’ve had a fisherman call me up and bring me a sea turtle, which is kind of nice, because 20 years ago these were the guys eating them, and now they’re the guys calling us up and bringing us sea turtles to rehabilitate; so it shows our education efforts to protect these animals are working.”

The day after the late-night rescue, GSML staff took Barney to Shepherd Springs Animal Hospital near Shell Point, where Griggs removed the hook from the turtle’s belly, the

b a r n a c l e growth, and fishing line, r e s t o r i n g blood flow and, thus, f u n c t i o n to the flipper. After four weeks in GSML’s sea turtle rehab tanks, including regular checkups and medications administered by Griggs, the large, estimated 10-year-old Kemp’s ridley progressively gained weight and made a full recovery, prompting Griggs to clear him for release Tuesday.

Barney is the 16th sea turtle rescued, rehabilitated and released by GSML this year. Despite this current success, a generous grant recently awarded to GSML by the Sea Turtle Conservancy will provide a shot-in-the-arm for GSML sea turtle rehab efforts via providing funds to build a state-of-the-art sea turtle hospital facility.

The new space - construction on which has already begun - will provide Griggs an area to perform procedures on large, heavy turtles like leatherbacks and loggerheads, eliminating the need, challenge and inherent risk in transporting these larger species the 10 miles or so to Shepherd Springs.

Rudloe said he is extremely grateful to the Sea Turtle Conservancy for helping GSML improve its sea turtle protection endeavors through such a crucial, impactful project. Rudloe added he encourages everyone to check out the great work the Sea Turtle Conservancy does by visiting conserveturtles.org or by checking out their Facebook page facebook.com/conserveturtles.

Fishing line-constricted flipper saved, “Barney” Returns home this week Barney’s right front

flipper before (left) and after (below) surgery and rehabilitation.

After a month recuperating at Gulf Specimen, the rare Kemp’s ridley is cleared for release Wednesday at Bald Point State Park