KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. – A loggerhead sea turtle was released back to her natural habitat Tuesday after she was successfully rehabilitated.
Miami Seaquarium camp keepers came out Tuesday morning to release Winnie and send her off into the ocean in Key Biscayne.
Winnie is a loggerhead sea turtle who was rescued April 29 from the water off St. Lucie County.
She was found thin and exhausted, with a wound on her shell, at the St. Lucie County power plant.
The Miami Seaquarium took her in for treatment and, in just two months, Winnie gained 11 pounds. She now weighs 77 pounds and is strong enough to be let out of the Seaquarium.
Some beachgoers had the opportunity to see Winnie being released.
"We thought it was amazing," Ana Lima, said. "We were really excited to see this beautiful creature be released right here on the beach we always come to, and we also go to the Seaqaurium a lot, so the kids know these turtles or, you know, the turtles that are there, so this was a really special experience for us."
The Miami Seaquarium has a summer camp program, in which they teach children about rescue, rehab and release, and provide them with a hands-on experience.
The program is for children ages 5-18 and runs through Aug. 19.
Click here to learn more about the program and to sign up.