Sea Life Aquarium Rehabilitates And Releases Endangered Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle, Stranded In Holland, Back Into The Gulf of Mexico

GRAPEVINE, Texas, Nov. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A juvenile female Kemp's ridley sea turtle, found stranded on the shores of the Netherlands, was released back into the Gulf of Mexico off the Padre National Seashore today by SEA LIFE Aquarium Grapevine, SEA LIFE Aquarium Scheveningen, Animal Rescue Keep, National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel.  The Kemp's ridley turtle, named Flip by her rescuers, is one of the most endangered species of marine sea turtles.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121109/DA10216)

Flip is outfitted with a satellite transmitter so the public can track her movements online at www.seaturtle.org by clicking "Track a Sea Turtle" and searching Flip's name.

Flip was found injured and cold-stunned by passers-by on the shores of Holland, near the city of The Hague, on December 10, 2011, roughly 5,000 nautical miles from her home in the Gulf of Mexico.  She was taken to SEA LIFE Aquarium Scheveningen to begin a long rehabilitation process.  After her first month at SEA LIFE and much TLC by the staff, Flip started feeding again, and since January of 2012, has steadily grown, gaining weight and strength.

Flip flew non-stop from Amsterdam to Houston on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and arrived on Thursday, November 1.  She was then transported by the SEA LIFE Aquarium Grapevine team to the Port Aransas Animal Rehabilitation Keep, where a health assessment was conducted and Flip was deemed in excellent health for her release into the Gulf of Mexico.

For more information on Flip's story visit the SEA LIFE Scheveningen website at http://www.visitsealife.com/Scheveningen/en/.

The success of this effort is a result of international cooperation with SEA LIFE Scheveningen and SEA LIFE Grapevine, Texas.  SEA LIFE provides a strong commitment to marine life education, conservation and rehabilitation, and is part of MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS, a worldwide network of entertainment and educational attractions and the world's biggest global aquarium operator.  Also participating are KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, the University of Texas Marine Science Institute, Animal Rehabilitation Keep, the U.S. National Park Service, the government of Holland, NOAA Fisheries, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Images and video upon request.

For more information on SEA LIFE Aquarium Grapevine visit www.sealifeus.com/grapevine.  Follow us at www.facebook.com/sealifegrapevine and www.twitter.com/sealifegrpevine.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Kelle Jackson, 1-214-662-6644, [email protected] 
Catharine Flagg, 1-214-697-1952, [email protected]

SOURCE SEA LIFE Aquarium