Brevard Zoo takes in hundreds of tiny sea turtles

MELBOURNE, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - The Brevard Zoo's Sea Turtle Healing Center is housing almost 300 green and loggerhead sea turtle “washbacks." These turtles were forced ashore resulting from Hurricane Leslie disrupting their habitat.

“When sea turtles hatch, they rely on energy stores from a yolk sac to make the multi-mile swim to offshore weed lines—floating masses of Sargassum seaweed that provide shelter and food,” says the turtle program manager Shannon Gann. “If the seaweed is disrupted by a storm or strong winds that wash them back to shore, the little turtles do not have the energy to make the long swim again.”

The Healing Center staff and volunteers will care for these turtles until ocean conditions improve. If anyone finds any washbacks immediately call STPS at 321-676-1701 or Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 1-888-404-3922 for rescue instructions