Latest news with #FloridaFishAndWildlife
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Watch: 300-pound turtle freed after getting stuck between massive rocks on Florida beach
STUART, Fla. – A photographer came upon a startling sight on Wednesday, when she discovered a 300-pound loggerhead turtle wedged between rocks on a southeast Florida beach. The incident occurred near the House of Refuge, where photographer Suzanne Cosme, owner of DeVine Portraits, had visited to take photos of the sunrise. While taking photos, she came upon a large turtle stuck on a rocky outcrop on the beach. She noted how unsure she was about the health of the animal and how long it had been there, particularly as it was covered in some blood. Footage shot by Cosme shows the animal slumped down, pinned in on both sides by a rocky vice grip. "It's okay, mama," Cosme can be heard saying to the turtle. "I'm going to get you safe, I promise." Cosme notified the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, who sent deputies and firefighters to the scene. Photos and video from Cosme shows four of the first responders carefully maneuvering the turtle around the rocky feature until the animal was freed. After evaluating its health and condition, the officials released the animal on the sandy beach, where it slowly ambled toward the lapping waves. "They made sure she was good, she didn't need to go to rehab or anything like that – she was perfect," Cosme said, describing the moment the turtle was freed and made her way back to the water. "She looked at me, it looked like she was saying 'Thank you' to me. It was so cute." 375-Pound Sea Turtle Released Into The Ocean In Florida Cosme said she's not sure how the turtle found itself among the rocks, but surmised that the animal might have walked upon the rocks during high tide and then became stuck as the tide fell. Either way, the chance discovery of the turtle on the beach ultimately led to Cosme saving its life. "It just felt surreal, I guess," Cosme said. "It was a magical moment." How To Watch Fox Weather Loggerhead sea turtles are the most common in Florida, according to the National Park Service. They are the official state saltwater article source: Watch: 300-pound turtle freed after getting stuck between massive rocks on Florida beach Solve the daily Crossword
The Sun
6 days ago
- The Sun
Horror moment kidnapper tries to snatch screaming woman and drag her into his truck sparking bloodcurdling fight
THIS is the horrifying moment a thug snatches a shop assistant and tries to drag her into a truck. The chilling encounter was caught on CCTV outside a retail store in St Augustine, Florida, and released by the St John's County Sheriff's Office. 5 5 5 Dramatic footage shows Theodore Michael Tundidor, 31, choking the terrified woman from behind and dragging her towards his Toyota truck. He unlocks the car whilst still grasping her and wrestles with the door. The unidentified victim's screams intensify to petrified shriek as Tundidor tries to bundle her onto the seat. Through the screams, she cries: "Help, help!" and "Get off!" She can be seen through the window writhing around in panic, trying to break free. Eventually, she escape his clutches and scrambles off onto the pavement, still shouting for help and with the attacker giving chase. Cops said that a bystander saw the attempted abduction and came to the woman's aid before calling 911. The brute was forced to jump into his truck and take off. Crews arrived at the scene in St Augustine, but the truck was gone. Florida Fish and Wildlife officers later spotted the pickup truck barrelling "recklessly" down Route A1A, sparking a high-speed chase before he was eventually caught. Chilling moment creep tries to drag teen girl away in kidnap bid at station Tundidor had allegedly stolen the pickup truck and driven it around on a crime spree. He is accused of stealing hundreds of dollars worth of cigarettes and vapes from various businesses. The kidnap attempt victim was the clerk at one of the stores he allegedly robbed, the authorities said. He was charged with kidnapping, robbery and grand theft auto for the spree on June 29, as well as driving under the influence and fleeing and eluding the law. Police praised the woman's behaviour, saying: "The victim did everything right - scream/yell, fight, attract attention." 5 5
CBS News
01-07-2025
- General
- CBS News
Video shows airborne shark hitting surfer's face in Florida: "Like a truck"
A man surfing in Florida was hit in the face by a spinning shark — and the encounter was caught on camera. Surfer Darren Kaye said he was in waters off New Smyrna Beach, Florida on Friday evening when the spinner shark knocked him off his board. Video shows the shark flying from the water and striking Kaye, knocking him off his board. In an Instagram post, Kaye said the shark's nose hit him in the face and its pectoral fin hit him on the left arm. Kaye identified the animal as a spinner shark. The species is known for the spinning leaps it takes while hunting prey, according to the Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission. The sharks often jump out of the water, the commission said. Adult spinner sharks grow to a maximum length of seven to eight feet, and can weigh up to 110 pounds. Kaye said the shark hit him "like a truck." In another video describing the event, Kaye said he and other surfers in the area had seen the shark "chilling" and "doing its thing" in the area, but had paid it no mind because the species is a common sight. "Boom, all of a sudden, like crazy rocket ship, straight at my dome," Kaye said in the video, which was recorded for Surfline, a company that uses remote cameras to monitor ocean conditions. A Surfline camera captured the video of the shark hitting him. The encounter was "absolutely nuts," Kaye said, but it didn't rattle him -- he surfed for another 45 minutes afterwards, he said. Then, he looked up the video and sent it to friends and family. "Just another day at the inlet!" he wrote on Instagram. New Smyrna Beach is off Florida's east coast. The city is about 15 miles south of Daytona Beach. The city has 17 miles of coastline and is known for good surfing conditions, according to its website.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
2 motorcyclists injured after colliding with alligator on Florida interstate
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Two motorcyclists were taken to a hospital Saturday after officials said they crashed into an alligator on Interstate 4 in Volusia County. The motorcyclists, a 67-year-old DeLeon Springs man and a 25-year-old Orange City woman, were both heading westbound in the inside lane when they collided with the gator, the Florida Highway Patrol told NBC affiliate WESH. Hillsborough officials identify 24-year-old killed by gunman who opened fire on car The impact caused both motorcyclists to veer off the interstate. Troopers said the 67-year-old crashed his 2022 Suzuki GSX-R1000R motorcycle into a tree. He and the Orange City woman were taken to HCA Lake Monroe Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to authorities. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was dispatched to the scene to assist with the injured alligator. As of Sunday, the crash remained under investigation, and no further information was immediately available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Forbes
23-05-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Dancing Turtles Rock: Why Turtle Survival Demands Urgent Action
Sea turtle swims under water on the background of coral reefs. Maldives Indian Ocean coral reef. May 23rd is World Turtle Day and the theme for 2025 is 'Dancing Turtles Rock!'. This is a joyful call to action for one of Earth's oldest and most threatened species. Turtles have been in existence for 200 million years according to and that is in itself a testimony of their resilience even in the midst of the negative actions of humanity. In 2021 the global sea turtle population is estimated at 6.5 million according to the Olive Ridley Project, but many species are under critical threat. The hawksbill turtle, for instance, has declined so drastically that only 57,000 to 83,000 individuals remain worldwide. However, not all news is grim. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported over 100,000 nesting turtles on monitored beaches, reflecting decades of conservation gains. Big group of sea turtles just steps on the beach toward the sea. Climate change is altering the very biology of turtles, with rising global temperatures threatening to skew natural sex ratios and shrink populations. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Ocean Service, turtle eggs incubated at temperatures below 27°C typically produce males, while those above 31°C result in females. As global temperatures rise, the proportion of male hatchlings is sharply declining, a trend that could drastically reduce reproductive success over time. Fewer males mean fewer opportunities for mating, which could accelerate population declines for already vulnerable species. According to Conservation Ontario, climate change is also degrading turtle habitats by reducing wetland surface area, lowering freshwater quality, and increasing the frequency of droughts and extreme weather events. These changes threaten to erode biodiversity and make survival even harder for freshwater and land turtle populations. The long-term survival of turtles depends not only on direct conservation action but also on broader efforts to mitigate climate change and protect critical ecosystems. HATAY, TURKIYE - A sea turtle (Caretta Caretta) is seen amid ghost nets of fishers despite the ... More efforts of conservation, many die due to plastic wastes every year (Photo by Ozge Elif Kizil/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) The resilience of the turtles is evident as global efforts are making an impact. For example, according to the Times of India, Operation Olivia, a conservation initiative by the Indian Coast Guard, protected over 698,000 Olive Ridley turtles during a single nesting season. This large-scale effort has been instrumental in reducing poaching and ensuring safe beach conditions for mass nesting events along India's eastern coastline. According to a March 2025 review published by NOAA Fisheries and featured in Nature Reviews Biodiversity, most sea turtle populations are rebounding globally thanks to decades of conservation work. The review analyzed nearly 300 nesting records across all seven sea turtle species and found that population increases were six times more frequent than declines, signaling a major marine conservation success. Key drivers of this progress include the reduction of artificial beachfront lighting, widespread bans on hunting, and the adoption of turtle-friendly fishing practices. For example, in Cape Verde, annual loggerhead turtle nests surged from 500 in 2008 to over 35,000 by 2020, while four out of five green turtle populations showed growth. However, the report notes that leatherback turtles remain in serious decline, and climate change still poses a major threat, especially through warming sands that skew hatchling sex ratios toward females. Encouragingly, loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean have begun nesting in cooler areas potentially a natural adaptation to buffer against extreme warming. NOAA researchers emphasize that public attitudes have shifted too, with communities once reliant on turtle hunting now benefiting from eco-tourism. LADY ELLIOT ISLAND, AUSTRALIA - A Hawksbill sea turtle is seen swimming (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty ... More Images) World Turtle Day 2025 is a call to recommit to one of Earth's most remarkable species. Under the theme 'Dancing Turtles Rock!', we are reminded that while turtles have endured for millions of years, their future depends on us. Climate change, habitat loss, and pollution continue to threaten their survival. The beauty of it is that we know what works, protecting habitats, eliminating plastic waste, and funding conservation can help these ancient creatures to thrive:
