GEORGIA, USA — A care team with Georgia Sea Turtle Center with the Jekyll Island Authority released 12 rescued turtles early Tuesday morning.
Jekyll Island is home to many of the Peach State's sea turtles. The injured sea turtles who were nursed back to health were released on Great Dunes Beach.
Members of the public cheered the turtles on as they returned home to the sea.
Officials with the center said the Kemp's Ridley and Green sea turtles received months of care for hypothermia, pneumonia, boat strikes and injuries received when entangled with fishing lines.
The center began rescuing the injured turtles last August.
“With each release, we are reminded of the power of perseverance and the infinite possibilities that come with a second chance. These animals belong in the ocean and it’s a magical moment to be able to help them get home safely," Michelle Kaylor, director of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center said in a news release.
Most of the sea turtles were rescued from all over Georgia, Florida and Massachusetts.
Jekyll Island has been rehabbing the Peach State's sea turtles since 2007.
The center was developed to help injured sea turtles and preserve the delicate balance of the oceanic ecosystem.
Some of the turtles' names are Acorn, Beech, Chestnut, Dewey and Oliver.
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