Story of ‘survival': Sea turtle found stranded a mile from the Gulf makes return home
Beachgoers' cheers filled the air Wednesday as the turtle named Buckley made its return to the Gulf waters at Fred Howard Park in Tarpon Springs.
'Wicked' star Cynthia Erivo to perform 2 Pinellas shows with the Florida Orchestra
Staff at The Florida Aquarium's Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center said it was a long-awaited homecoming, and a celebration of 'survival, second chances, and the power of rehabilitation.'
According to officials, a group of Good Samaritans knew Buckley was in trouble when they found the sea turtle on a dirt road in rural Dixie County back in November. Rescuers said Buckley was nowhere near the ocean, and it's unclear how the turtle got there.
A call to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission set Buckley's rescue into motion, with the turtle eventually winding up at The Florida Aquarium's rehabilitation center in Apollo Beach. Staff at the aquarium named the turtle after Buck Creek, which is nearby where Buckley was found.
While at the rehabilitation center, staff members worked to help the turtle regain weight, stabilize dangerously low blood sugar levels and heal scratches to the bottom of its shell, likely sustained from traversing through rough terrain.
By February, the sea turtle was healthy enough to make its return home.
'This is why we do what we do — to see a once-struggling sea turtle like Buckley return home, stronger and healthier. It's heartwarming,' said Ashley Riese, The Florida Aquarium's Sea Turtle Conservation Program Director. 'Buckley's recovery is a testament to the incredible collaboration between rescuers, the aquarium's animal care team, veterinarians, and our entire community.'
Buckley's sendoff on Wednesday, however, may not be the last time beachgoers interact with the turtle.
A satellite tag was attached to the sea turtle's shell so that the community and biologists can continue to track Buckley's travels and gather conservation data.
Each time Buckley surfaces to breathe, the tag will send a signal to a satellite. Staff said this will allow them to track feeding habits, migratory patterns, and environmental conditions like water temperature.
The tracking feature will be live 24 hours to a week after Buckley's release. Click here to follow along with Buckley's journey.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Colchester woman adding posters to bridges amidst calls for more safety measures
A COLCHESTER woman is continuing her crusade for more safety measures on bridges over the A12 by adding posters to the city's blue bridge. Edafe Capener, 52, a holistic therapist, who lives in Mile End, has added six Samaritans helpline posters to the bridge near junction 28 and the Chitts Hill footbridge. It comes as Mrs Capener, residents and city leaders called for better safety measures after police were called following concerns for a woman on a bridge over the A12 last Thursday. It led to widespread disruption on the A12. Samaritan posters - Ms Capener added a crystal for people to keep and hold incase it helps (Image: Newsquest) Mrs Capener and her husband added the posters on both bridges across the weekend, using zip ties to attach them to the bridge's fencing. She said: 'We've done this so if someone is in desperate need, that call could make a whole lot of difference. 'The Samaritans have trained volunteers who can take calls at all hours of the day. 'At least if people come to the bridge, they can read the posters, and it is a deterrence. Area - the blue bridge (Image: Newsquest) 'People say 'oh, they could go somewhere else', but that's one less bridge they may go to. 'If we can safeguard the bridges, people will read the messages. 'I want to put six posters on each bridge in Colchester, maybe it will help them reassess their situation.' Councillor Sara Naylor, who represents the Lexden and Braiswick ward has already called for a summit to bring together emergency services, the county and district councils and MPs. Speaking up - Edafe Capener (Image: Newsquest) Road - the A12 below the blue bridge (Image: Newsquest) Ms Naylor wants people to receive the care they need before reaching crisis point. Mrs Capener wants fencing at the blue bridge to be made higher to make it safer. National Highways already works closely with the Samaritans, police, and authorities and routinely reviews incidents to see what more might be done to help people in crisis. A spokesman previously told the Gazette 'there isn't a single solution that works for every situation' and there can be 'complicated technical challenges involved in altering bridge structures' However, National Highways does 'carefully review the options' and takes 'practical steps to address them'.
CBS News
6 days ago
- CBS News
Pembroke Pines honors plane crash heroes, demands safety study for North Perry Airport
The Pembroke Pines City Commission honored several good Samaritans Wednesday evening for their heroic efforts in saving a family of four from a fiery plane crash last month. At the same meeting, city officials also passed a resolution urging Broward County to conduct a comprehensive safety study of North Perry Airport, a facility that has seen more than 35 crashes in the past five years. A standing ovation filled the room as residents and city leaders recognized the men who leapt into action when a small aircraft crashed into a residential neighborhood on July 13. The plane, which had been returning from the Caribbean, struck a tree in the front yard of a home near Southwest 14th Street and 68th Boulevard, just west of North Perry Airport. Among the honorees was Eddy Crispin, who helped rescue the family trapped in the wreckage. "I don't want to say like it makes me feel very heroic or anything like that — I just feel like I was put in the position where I was supposed to be at the right place at the right time, and I wish and feel like anybody would do the same thing," said Crispin. Safety concerns surrounding North Perry Airport dominated the meeting, with residents holding signs and speaking out in frustration. Megan Bishop, who tragically lost her four-year-old son Taylor in a 2021 crash involving a small aircraft, called into the meeting to share her continued concern. "Typically, fatalities ignite change, and to this date, I have not seen change come from that airport, and it reflects in the crashes that we have seen," Bishop said. The commission unanimously approved a resolution requesting Broward County conduct a thorough safety review of the airport's operations and infrastructure. "What's wrong with demanding safety and health improvements in airplane equipment and operations?" asked Commissioner Thomas Good Jr. Mayor Angelo Castillo emphasized the scale of operations at the airport and the need for accountability. "North Perry Airport is the busiest general aviation airport in the state of Florida. They have 850 — on average — 850 takeoffs and landings per day. We want them to be a good neighbor, but they have to be good, or they have to be done," said Castillo. To continue the conversation, a town hall meeting will be held on August 27 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 7300 Pines Blvd. in Pembroke Pines, where the public will have the opportunity to voice their concerns and hear from local leaders about potential next steps.
Yahoo
29-07-2025
- Yahoo
Rescuer helps two men survive plane crash
Two men in their 80s survived a plane crash into an Ottawa County Lake earlier this month, thanks to the help of good Samaritans. (July 29, 2025) Solve the daily Crossword
