Swells From Hurricane Nicole Push Baby Sea Turtles Back To Shore

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VIERA (CBSMiami/AP) — Hundreds of baby sea turtles were pushed back to shore along the Space Coast by swells from Hurricane Nicole.

By Sunday, the Brevard Zoo Sea Turtle Healing Center had taken in 366 struggling turtles that were rescued from the beach. Nearly 300 of the washback turtles survived, including 283 loggerheads, 10 green turtles and four hawksbill turtles.

Sea Turtle Rehabilitation assistant Shanon Gann says most of the turtles were likely exhausted by the time they reached the beach. She says Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials may launch a boat from Fort Pierce later this week to take the turtles back to their Sargasso Sea home.

Necropsies will be performed on the deceased turtles. Gann says ingested plastics are most likely to blame for their deaths.

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