Sea Turtle Released in Florida Keys Joins ‘Tour de Turtles’ Race

A rehabilitated turtle was fitted with a satellite-tracking device and released from a Florida Keys beach on August 2, as part of the Tour de Turtles, an initiative which follows the long-distance migration of sea turtles over three months.

Footage released by the Florida Keys News Bureau shows workers from the Marathon-based Turtle Hospital releasing Roseleigh, a green sea turtle, into the ocean.

Roseleigh was named by her rescuers after being found floating off Islamorada in March 2024. She was treated by the Turtle Hospital for a severe case of fibropapillomatosis, a deadly tumor-causing disease that may be linked to pollution in the oceans and nearshore waters.

After a series of successful surgeries and treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics, fluids, vitamins and a healthy diet of greens and mixed seafood, Roseleigh is back in good health and is swimming strongly.

The event is organized annually by the Sea Turtle Conservancy to raise awareness about threats to the animals’ survival. Credit: Florida Keys News Bureau via Storyful

Video transcript

Oh, here they come.

Yes, I’m taking her almost to the water.

123.

Just stay beautiful, beautiful thing.

You gotta get me.

Come on.

Oh, I know very few.

Here we go.

No.

Ok, I get you.

There she goes.

It’s soft and it’s awesome.

What that?

Hi.

Okay.

There we are.

There she is.

Yep, this is all the grass.

I see what to do.

You guys saw the before picture right around the ps are so nice.

They hang out.

We, ah, just returned from Africa specifically to see Rosie released and now I’m going to cry is so, it’s so amazing.

We thought she was going to die when we dashed her to the turtle hospital and to see her now all recovered is just amazing.