Young sea turtles beached by
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says the storm may have tossed them from the mats of seaweed that serve as their home when they first enter the ocean. The commission issued a news release Friday giving advice on what to do if you see one on shore that is obviously stranded:
-Put the turtle on a damp cloth in a small container, cover it and keep it in the shade, but not in air conditioning. Don't put it into water. Don't crowd several turtles in one container.
-Although it is illegal to possess them without a permit, it is acceptable during the emergency to carry them directly to a local marine facility, including the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton, the Loggerhead Marine Life Center in
-Help only turtles lying in the sand and not moving toward the water. Don't dig into sea turtle nests or remove hatchlings from the sand. Don't go to the beach just to rescue sea turtles.
Here are facilities to which you can take young sea turtles:
Loggerhead Marinelife Center, 14200 U.S. Highway 1, Juno Beach, 561-627-8280; www.marinelife.org
Indian River/Brevard counties
Sea Turtle Preservation Society, Melbourne Beach, 321-676-1701; www.seaturtlespacecoast.org
Barrier Island Sanctuary, 8385 South A1A, Melbourne Beach, 321-723-3556; http://barrierislandcenter.com
Marine Science Center, 100 Lighthouse Drive Ponce Inlet, 386-304-5544; http://marinesciencecenter.com