North Palm Beach, FL (August 14, 2024) – Two juvenile female loggerhead sea turtles were released into ocean waters on Tuesday by Friends of John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, ANGARI Foundation, and the Florida Park Service.
One-year-old Veronica and 10-month-old Freed have been cared for by a dedicated team of staff at MacArthur Beach State Park since they were 3 months old. The turtles are part of MacArthur Beach State Park’s educational sea turtle ambassador program to educate visitors about the importance of sea turtle conservation. The State Park receives over 150,000 visitors annually and over 4,000 of those visitors are students who participate in education programs, where the sea turtles are a major focal point.
“During their time at MacArthur Beach State Park, our sea turtle ambassadors educated thousands of visitors about sea turtles and conservation,” said Veronica Frehm, CEO of Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park. “It is these personal interactions, that can spark people’s interests and can help them on their way to becoming life-long sea turtle advocates. We look forward to getting a new sea turtle ambassador in the coming months.”
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park is the only state park that is able to house sea turtles in Florida.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued a Marine Turtle Permit to the Park to house two juvenile loggerhead sea turtles for educational purposes. The Park receives their turtles from Dr. Jeanette Wyneken’s lab at the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Research Gallery, located within the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. Her study focuses on how weather and climate affect sea turtle eggs and the implications.
Park staff are advised regularly by FWC, sea turtle scientists, as well as sea turtle veterinarians, to make sure the turtles are healthy and receive the best possible care. Before their release, both turtles received their final vet checkups and were cleared by the team at FWC.
The sea turtles were released off the coast of West Palm Beach from ANGARI Foundation’s 65-foot research vessel, R/V ANGARI. While ANGARI Foundation has supported sea turtle research onboard its vessel in the past, this is the first sea turtle release from R/V ANGARI.
About John D. MacArthur Beach State Park:
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, Palm Beach County’s only state park, is situated on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Lake Worth Lagoon. The Park is made up of 436 acres of pristine coastal land and contains four different communities or habitats including seven species of plants and 22 species of animals on the endangered or threatened list. For more information about MacArthur Beach State Park visit, macarthurbeach.org.
About ANGARI Foundation:
ANGARI Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private operating foundation established in 2016 and headquartered in West Palm Beach, Fla. The Foundation is dedicated to creating a global community that is interested, knowledgeable, and invested in marine and environmental sciences by directly supporting research initiatives that foster a greater trust and dialogue between scientists and the public. ANGARI Foundation uses innovative technology, film, and other media to raise awareness and strengthen science education. Many of the Foundation’s primary initiatives involve R/V ANGARI, a 65-foot vessel that serves as an exceptional research and education platform. For more information, visit angari.org.
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