Sea turtle released on Clearwater Beach after flipper amputation, rehab

Olivia the sea turtle has returned to the sea after recovering from a boat strike.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium released the juvenile green sea turtle on Wednesday at Clearwater Beach after months of rehabilitation – and an amputation.

Dr. Shelly Marquardt said Olivia was found floating offshore by a boater near John’s Pass on June 2, 2019.

“A physical exam found that Olivia had severe injuries to the carapace [shell] and left rear flipper that appeared to be consistent with an old boat strike injury,” Marquardt said.

Medical staff amputated Olivia’s left rear flipper and a damaged end portion of her shell due to the severity of her injuries.

Olivia, weighing in at 53 pounds, also had an infection affecting her front flippers, which 10 months of rehabilitation eventually cleared up, allowing her to be released back into the Gulf on Wednesday.