200-pound sea turtle found under Ringling Bridge dies from injuries
Photo credit: Sarasota Police Department
SARASOTA, Fla. (FOX 13) - A 200-pound injured sea turtle has died after it was found injured Sunday in Sarasota.
Sarasota police and deputies, alongside rescuers from Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, located the large turtle Sunday beneath the west end of the Ringling Bridge.
Officials said the female turtle’s rear fins were injured. Unfortunately, Mote Marine rescuers said the turtle had a ruptured intestine and it was euthanized.
It's unclear what may have caused those injuries, but a necropsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of death.
Anyone who sees a sick, injured or stranded sea turtle can call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 888-404-3922. Distressed sea turtle sightings in Sarasota or Manatee county waters can also be reported to Mote Marine Laboratory’s Stranding Investigations Program at 941-988-0212.