FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – Turtle hatchlings stuck in a storm drain. No ooze to mutate them, no rat to train them.
The five leatherback sea turtle hatchlings had already had a harrowing trip — a hero’s journey, if you will. They had crossed State Road A1A near Beverly Beach before landing in two storm drains at the Oceanside Condominiums.
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Now the babies needed a hero of their own.
Enter Flagler Turtle Patrol, which contacted Flagler County Fire Rescue.
The fire crews donned gas masks and climbed down the six-foot-deep storm drains to rescue the tiny turtles.
The hatchlings were taken to Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience for treatment, with plans to return them to the ocean.
But the firefighters got no time to linger. The Flagler fire chief said the team had to pivot to a crash on I-95 immediately after.
It’s currently sea turtle nesting season in Florida. Survival for a sea turtle hatchling is already a harrowing experience, but manmade distractions can mislead the babies away from the water.
Want to learn how you can help sea turtle hatchlings? Head to the Flagler Turtle Patrol website for information.