Zoo helps sea turtles pushed ashore on Florida beaches

MELBOURNE, Fla. – A Florida zoo assisted 39 green and loggerhead sea turtle "washbacks" that were pushed ashore when heavy waves disrupted their habitat.

Brevard Zoo's sea turtle manager, Shanon Gann, said in a news release that the washbacks were found on Brevard County's beaches over the last week.

Gann says staff members and volunteers cared for the turtles, which were then sent to Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton. They were expected to be taken by boat to the weed line and released Thursday.

Sea turtles rely on energy stored in their yolk sac upon hatching to make the multi-mile swim to offshore weed lines. If the seaweed is disrupted by strong winds, they may get washed back on shore.