By PAMELA CODY
Special to the PRESS
In front of an excited crowd of onlookers, Wonder and Rocky B, two juvenile Atlantic green sea turtles, were released into the ocean at noon the day after Thanksgiving. They were released by Sea Turtle, Inc., a local non-profit organization that rescues and treats injured turtles.
Wonder, who is missing one flipper, had been at the Sea Turtle, Inc. (STI) facility since mid-summer, while Rocky B was brought in about a month ago. Rocky was injured when he got stuck on the rocks at the jetties during the high tides brought on by recent heavy storms. While the entire staff at STI works tirelessly, their vet technician, Brian Thurow, is one of the unsung heroes of these injured creatures. According to his wife, Sarah, “He works day and night and does a lot for these turtles. He uses very innovative medical procedures and puts his heart and soul into these animals,” she said proudly. Sarah was there to witness the release along with the couples’ two children, son Kai, 2, and 4-month-old Penelope.
Many families were in attendance to see the turtles return to the ocean, including Austin residents Maria Archuleta and her daughter, Adrian. “We came to visit family in the Valley, but we’ve wanted to see a release for a while, so it was good timing,” Archuleta said.
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