In this Monday, Oct. 9, 2017, photo provided by the South Carolina Aquarium, Willow Melamet, South Carolina Aquarium Sea Turtle Care Center manager, left, and Tyler Harrell with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, carry "Peach," a 55 pound (25 kilogram) female Kemp's ridley turtle, to be released back into the ocean in Folly Beach, S.C. Peach was released to the Atlantic Ocean after surgery to remove more than 4 feet (1 meter) of fishing line she had swallowed. (Danielle Raub, South Carolina Aquarium via AP)
The Associated Press
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - A sea turtle that swallowed more than 4 feet (1 meter) of fishing line has been released in the Atlantic Ocean off South Carolina's coast after undergoing surgery.
The South Carolina Aquarium said in a news release Monday that Peach was returned to the ocean at Folly Beach on Monday after recovering from the surgery to remove the fishing line.
Peach is a 55-pound (25-kilogram) female Kemp's ridley turtle and had the surgery after being found last summer in Charleston Harbor.
The Department of Natural Resources found Peach with fishing line around her head, neck and left front flipper, in addition to running down her mouth into her intestines.
She's been tagged with a satellite transmitter that will allow scientists to study how Kemp's ridley turtles move during the winter months.
In this Monday, Oct. 9, 2017, photo provided by the South Carolina Aquarium, Willow Melamet, South Carolina Aquarium Sea Turtle Care Center manager helps "Peach," a 55 pound (25 kilogram) female Kemp's ridley turtle, into the ocean in Folly Beach, S.C. Peach was released to the Atlantic Ocean after surgery to remove more than 4 feet (1 meter) of fishing line she had swallowed. (Danielle Raub/South Carolina Aquarium via AP)
The Associated Press