The Sea Turtle Rescue Department of the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston released two loggerhead turtles back into the Atlantic Ocean from Folly Beach County Park. A large crowd of children and well wishers turned out to cheer for Murrell and then for Little Pritchard as they crawled towards their home. Murrell is a juvenile loggerhead recovered from Murrell's Inlet, S.C. after suffering two boat strikes to his shell in October of 2007. After one and a half years of medical care Murrell developed 75% new keratin in the shell perforations and is now well enough to return to the sea. Little Pritchard was rescued in the area near Pritchard's Island after a nasty encounter with a stingray that left its right front flipper severely wounded. Almost one year to the admittance date of 6/24/08 Little Pritchard is once again swimming in the ocean. Lowcountryoutdoors.com is glad to spread the message of conservation that the Sea Turtle Rescue Hospital provides, and yesterday's blog entry on World Ocean Day comes to mind - since sea turtles are another blessing from the ocean. Aquarium biologist Kelly Thorvalson said, "We are a non-profit entity and we accept donations to help fund our hospital, plus the aquarium provides lots of outreach programs to better educate everyone about these amazing creatures of the sea."
Photos By Jeff Dennis: Murrell crawls back into the Atlantic Ocean, Little Pritchard is cheered on by lots of adoring fans, Whitney Rittman and Gina Stogran work the Aquarium education table, Kelly Thorvalson and PR manager Beth Nathan are happy after both sea turtles swim off
Video: Little Pritchard puts on a show before getting a lift to the ocaen
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