Florida Fish and Wildlife biologists were on the water Tuesday for a day of diving research sites when they encountered an entangled loggerhead sea turtle.
The turtle was entangled in a buoy line which wrapped around its flippers and neck.
Crews worked to snip the line as the loggerhead flopped around in the water.
“He’s free,” an FWC biologist said as the turtle swam away.
Loggerhead sea turtles are protected as a threatened species by the Federal Endangered Species Act.
“The main threat that the loggerhead (turtle) faces is accidental capture in shrimp and fishing nets such as longlines, finfish trawls, beach seines, drift and set gill nets. When captured in these nets, the loggerhead cannot escape and will eventually drown. Longlines can entangle or snag sea turtles,” according to FWC’s website.
Development of nesting beaches is also a threat to the loggerhead because their nests can be destroyed, and available nesting sites are limited, FWC said.
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