Featured Image Credit: Photo courtesy of PMMC
By Laura O’Brien
Dana Point Harbor was buzzing as restaurant-goers began spotting green sea turtles in the water. The owner of Waterman’s Harbor restaurant, Damian Collins said that he saw a large sea turtle climb up a boat ramp next to his restaurant. He was amazed because he had never seen green sea turtles in the area before, he also saw several small sea turtles doing the same thing.
Damian was not the only one who was stunned by the sight of these turtles. He said that the turtles had the run of the harbor, and his customers kept dashing to the windows to get a better look at them.
The Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach received many calls about the turtles, so the center decided to send staff members to determine whether the animals are in distress or behaving unusually. The turtles’ mere presence in the harbor is not a cause for concern. In fact, seeing the endangered species of a turtle making it so far north is actually a positive thing according to Jeff Seminoff, who leads the sea turtle research program for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Collins as well as others who saw the turtles, however, believed that they were in distress.
When workers from the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach came to the harbor, they observed one of the turtles eating trash, and noticed that it was exhibiting unusual behavior. The center rescued the malnourished sea turtle and sent it to SeaWorld, where they have resources necessary for the turtle’s recovery.
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