Audubon Aquarium Rescue of New Orleans releases rehabilitated turtles into the Gulf

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Three sea turtles were released back into the Gulf after receiving extensive care at Audubon Aquarium Rescue.

The turtles were released into the waters off of Galveston, Texas on Tuesday, June 24. Prior to this event, each turtle received treatment for months at the rescue center, according to a news release.

“Watching these turtles swim into the Gulf waters is rewarding for everyone who helped get them to this point,” said Gabriella Harlamert, Audubon Aquarium Rescue Stranding and Rehabilitation Coordinator.

Two of the released turtles are Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, which is a critically endangered species. The pair, named Libra and Dorado by staff, were brought to New Orleans last winter after being discovered cold and stunned in New England. Libra and Dorado were the 26th and 27th Kemp’s ridley turtles released back into the Gulf this year.

The third turtle, a male loggerhead turtle named Francois, was found in Grand Chenier, Louisiana in 2023. Francois was underweight and extremely dehydrated when he was found, according to a news release. The turtle gained 45 pounds while in rehabilitation at Audubon.

“Francois was with us for nearly two years and overcame tremendous health issues,” Harlamert said. “Our entire team shared the excitement of watching him maneuver along the beach and into the Gulf for the first time in years.”

To facilitate the event, Audubon partnered with the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research at Texas A&M Galveston. Both species of turtles are native to this area, which made it an ideal location for the turtles to be released.

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