Rehabed turtles released back into the Gulf

[DCBob]

CEDAR KEY, Fla. – The first rehabilitated turtles oiled by BP's massive leak were released back into the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday, with scientists saying that animals taken in by rescuers — including birds — appear more resilient than first feared.



Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, who is overseeing the oil crisis for the government, helped release the 22 oiled sea turtles about a mile off the coast of Cedar Key, Fla., an area unaffected by the spilled crude. They were the first oiled turtles found in the Gulf and rehabilitated.

"I think it's emblematic of us starting to look forward in the recovery," Allen said, smiling as he released some of the turtles. "This is a very pristine environment. This is their natural habitat."

Even though oil spill rescue crews have brought more sea turtles and birds to shore in the month since BP capped its broken well than the previous month, wildlife officials said both kinds of animals have suffered less damage than originally projected.

Rescuers have taken in 444 oiled turtles that were found alive since April 30, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They found 522 turtles dead, though they've only confirmed that 17 of those had oil on them.



more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100818/ap_on_re_us/us_gulf_oil_spill_turtles

Very good news indeed! The Gulf isn't completely dead after all.

[Scurrilous]

1. Good news.

Thanks DCBob. :thumbsup:

[jdlh8894]

3. Not good news.

They are doing more harm holding them than letting them be.

[DCBob]

6. Those turtles look pretty healthy to me.

They likely would have died had they not been de-oiled.

[aquart]

2. Nooooooooooo. Put them somewhere safe.

[jdlh8894]

4. Do you even know where Cedar Key is?

It ain't even close to the Keys that you are thinking about.

[DCBob]

5. Yes, its on the west coast of Florida north of Tampa in the Gulf of Mexico.

What Keys are you thinking about?