Sea Turtle named for Obama Released on Independence Day

http://fla-keys.com/
A recovered loggerhead sea turtle named after President Barack Obama was released in the Atlantic Ocean off Key West on Saturday.

The turtle was rescued on Key West's Higgs Beach on Jan. 19, the day before Obama's inauguration. It was then transported to the Turtle Hospital in Marathon.

Obama the turtle suffered from a severe intestinal impaction, which caused a body cavity infection, Turtle Hospital administrator Ryan Butts said. Because of the timing of turtle's rescue, officials thought it made sense to set it free on the Fourth of July.

"The turtle came in at a historic moment and was named after the new president, so we thought it was appropriate to release 'Obama' to freedom on America's Independence Day," Butts said.

About 100 people watched the turtle's release Saturday.

"We got the turtle down on the sand and it took off," Butts said. "It was so excited and swam away with all the energy it had."

Steve Panariello - Director of Photography
Chad Newman - Editor

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Key
• West
• Florida
• Keys
• Turtle
• Hospital
• release
• obama
• 4th
• of
• july
• independence
• day

[Plushcat143]

Humanity at it's best!

[tlgs61507]

I was there! It was amazing to watch!

[vazz118]

awhh. =]

[NkaujNag]

That was beautiful!