SC Aquarium saves 467th sea turtle. It's stranding season. | South Carolina Public Radio

Victoria Hansen from South Carolina Public Radio reports on the heartwarming release of Lavender, a rescued juvenile green sea turtle, from the South Carolina Aquarium's Sea Turtle Care Center back into the wild.

The article follows Lavender's three-month recovery journey after being found stranded, anemic, and injured off Hilton Head Island in May. Care Center Manager Melissa Ranly and her team treated the endangered turtle with fluids, antibiotics, and vitamins before successfully releasing it into a quiet Lowcountry marsh. The story highlights both the critical conservation work being done and the environmental threats sea turtles face during stranding season.

• Sea turtle stranding season brings increased injuries from fishing gear, boat strikes, and plastic ingestion
• The aquarium's Sea Turtle Care Center has successfully released 467 sea turtles over 25 years
• Sea turtles serve as keystone species, indicating overall environmental health
• Green sea turtles can live up to 100 years but won't reach sexual maturity for 30 years