This Heartwarming Sea Turtle Hospital In Florida Saves Their Lives & It's So Flippin' Cute
You can visit the turtles and see them up close. 🐢
A baby sea turtle being held by a human hand. Right: A baby sea turtle laying on a towel.
Sea turtle season in Florida is upon us, and the cute little hatchlings and their families are protected in the Keys. There's a boutique sea turtle hospital in Marathon, Florida, and the work they do is uplifting year-round!
From adorable babies to full-grown turtles, these good civilians are nursing the animals back to health, and it wouldn't be possible without the help of the community.
They're a non-profit organization entirely supported by the people, which means you can visit them for a small fee, and the change you give goes towards a good cause. The hospital shows you where you can see their past patients who were released back to sea, their current patients, as well as their permanent patients.
"Rehab, research, release," is the motto at the healthcare center, and they hope to not only save the lives of the injured animals but also educate the public and work towards environmental legislation for safe and clean beaches.
In Florida, you can see the majority of nesting season happen from the start of May to the end of October. Sea turtles are an endangered species so it is important to be careful around their nesting territories and hatching process.
It's a good tip to not place beach furniture next to marked nests, and it is important to watch the hatchlings crawl down to the water. You might be able to see their tracking on the beach shortly after.
The Marathon Turtle Hospital caretakers do their best to nurse injured turtles back to health and return them to their respected environments.