Florida
Divers rescue ‘ginormous,’ severely-injured loggerhead turtle off Florida Keys
MARATHON, Fla. – An “ancient,” 322-pound loggerhead turtle is getting a new lease on life thanks to an alert scuba diver who found it severely injured off the Florida Keys, according to the Turtle Hospital.
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The “ginormous” turtle, now nicknamed “Lenny,” is estimated to be more than 60 years old and was found off the coast of Islamorada on Friday with “severe injuries to its front flipper and its head” because of a predator attack, staff said.
Diver Mike Papish worked with the Turtle Hospital and Sundance Water Sports “to organize a team to rescue the injured turtle after spotting him in distress on an earlier dive,” a Turtle Hospital news release states.
Turtle Hospital staff took Lenny via “turtle ambulance to its facility in Marathon for treatment.
“A full recovery is hoped for so the reproductive sea turtle can be returned to the wild just in time for mating season,” the news release states.
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FORT MYERS, Fla. – An injured manatee and her calf are recovering after authorities on a boat rescued them from the Orange River near Fort Myers on Thursday.
What we know:
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said its Marine Unit, Advanced Technology Support Unit, drone pilots and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helped in saving the pair after the mother was found hurt in the water and in need of medical attention.
READ: Missing Florida man found stuck in mud without food or water for days: PFD
Video shows authorities pulling the frantic manatees safely onto the boat in netting before taking them to shore.
Courtesy: Lee County Sheriff’s Office
Both animals will be taken to ZooTampa for evaluation and medical care.
What we don’t know:
LCSO did not say the extent of the mother’s injuries.
By the numbers:
As of Feb. 20, there have been 85 manatee deaths across Florida in 2026, according to the FWC. Last year reportedly saw a total of 632 manatee deaths.
Dig deeper:
Earlier this month, the FWC began investigating a spike in manatee deaths, specifically in Lee County, where officials say 25 were found dead within a week.
READ: FWC investigating spike in manatee deaths over the past week
The FWC believes these manatee deaths could be from several factors: cold stress, a lack of seagrass and polluted waterways.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
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