Rescued loggerhead sea turtle returns to Pacific after 7 years of care

Seven years ago, a badly injured loggerhead sea turtle washed ashore on the coast of Jeju Island, entangled in abandoned fishing gear and suffering from severe trauma to its flippers, shoulder and esophagus. Following an extraordinary long-term medical saga that involved seven major surgeries, the fully recovered marine creature will finally be released back into the wild Thursday. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said Wednesday that the endangered turtle will be returned to the Pacific Ocean from Gwangchigi Beach in Seogwipo, Jeju Island. The location was chosen for its gentle sandy slope and close proximity to where the animal was originally found stranded in August 2019. The rescue and painstaking rehabilitation were led by Aqua Planet Jeju, a government-designated emergency response facility for marine wildlife. When caretakers first brought the turtle in, it was severely anemic and displayed deep tissue lacerations. Over the years, veterinary teams performed repeated procedures to seal open wounds, extract remaining debris and clear recurring deep-seated infections. To overcome