MIAMI-DADE COUNTY – A rehabilitated freshwater turtle returned to the wild last week after being found chained to another turtle last month in Miami-Dade County.
The two turtles were left for dead in saltwater at Oleta River State Park when a local kayaker saved them by getting in contact with the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station, a wildlife rescue service in Miami-Dade.
“It’s appalling, of course, it’s shocking,” said Hannah McDougall, Director of Communications with the Harbor Seabird Station. “It’s kind of jarring to see this in person and to think that there’s people even capable of doing this to living creatures.”
Local 10 News obtained photos of illegible permanent marker scribbles all over the shells of both turtles.
Rescue crew members said they noticed some disturbing things after rescuing the turtles.
“The two turtles that were rescued, each had one hole in each of them, one on the left side, one on the right side so that they can be linked together,” said Julie D’Errico, a volunteer coordinator with the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station.
Both turtles are of the Cooter variety and normally can live for decades, but after being discovered on March 16, the rescue service had two very sick reptiles in their hands.
“One was in better shape than the other when they first came in. They both received subcutaneous fluids again to try to hydrate them and were placed in an oxygen chamber,” said McDougall. “We suspect this is some sort of religious ritual, which obviously is animal abuse in this case.”
Both of the turtles had problems breathing and floating due to the saltwater effects.
Rehabilitation experts think they may have been suffering in this condition for weeks.
Local 10 News reported on an animal abuse incident in 2019 when officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were notified after the 4ocean crew discovered chained turtles underneath an overpass.
Later that year, the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station found another reptile duo also chained together in almost exactly the same way, but the two found in March were wrapped in ribbon with two red cloth dolls.
“We’ve discovered that this might be a symbol of love in some religious ceremonies, linking two people together, but this is ultimately animal cruelty,” said D’Errico.
During the incident in March, one of the two turtles, a Florida Red-Bellied Cooter, suffered too many injuries and would not survive, however, the Peninsula Cooter was able to slowly make a full recovery.
“We made sure that he was able to hunt live food on his own, so then when he is released now into the wild, he’s able to survive and fend for himself,” said McDougall.
Local 10 News was at the scene for the turtle’s official release back into the wild.
“Even though the turtles were not found here, this lake was picked specifically here in Miami-Dade County because it’s freshwater and so that little survivor could interact with the natural wildlife,” said McDougall.
The little Cooter will now have a chance to live a long life thanks to the ones that saved him.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating, but with minimal evidence, these cases usually run cold.
To find out more about the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station and the work they are doing to save animals in South Florida, click here.