two specimens released off the Ile de Ré

It is a moment charged with emotion for the curious who have come to admire the release of two sea turtles on the Ile de Ré (Charente-Maritime). The two animals were cared for for four months at the La Rochelle aquarium (Charente Maritime). Moana and Legend, these are the names of the turtles, were therefore able to find the ocean. These two turtles turn out to be lucky ones, as they might not have survived their captures. Thanks to the GPS tags present on these animals, researchers will be able to ensure their good health.

The Center for the Study and Care of Sea Turtles at the La Rochelle Aquarium was able to save these two specimens. “Legend weighs 7 kilos 522 grams and when she arrived in February she weighed 5 kilos 724 grams”, describes an employee of the center. This turtle had already been captured on the Ile d’Oléron (Charente Maritime) then she was found off Mimizan (Landes). “It is an animal which was in a state of hypothermia, which was dehydrated”explains Florence Dell’Amico, biologist at the La Rochelle aquarium.