Crowd cheers as rehabilitated sea turtles released back into ocean

Two rehabilitated sea turtles were released back into the ocean as a crowd cheered them on Wednesday, May 22, footage shows.

Video posted by the South Carolina Aquarium shows two endangered loggerhead sea turtles, named after cheeses Brie and Gruyere, released back into the ocean at Folly Beach, South Carolina, on Wednesday as an excited crowd cheered them on.

Brie, who was found stranded on a beach suffering from debilitated turtle syndrome and weighing only 69 pounds, required nearly a year of intensive treatment involving fluids, vitamins, and antibiotics. She weighed 120 pounds when released, a spokeswoman says in the video.

Gruyere was found floating in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, suffering from cold stunning and pneumonia, and required a few months of antibiotic treatment and rest.

“Each of these sea turtles captured the hearts of our guests, but Brie, who had been with us for so long, was particularly special,” said Melissa Ranly, manager at the Sea Turtle Care Center.

“Many visitors made it a point to stop by on every trip to the Aquarium to check on her progress, celebrating each recovery milestone alongside us.”

Residents are encouraged to visit the sea turtles currently undergoing rehabilitation at the aquarium, as every admission ticket and aquarium membership directly contributes to the operations of the Sea Turtle Care Center.

Credit: South Carolina Aquarium via Storyful

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