Adoption – King George

Description

Date: April 14, 2025

Location: Bay County, FL

Circumstances: Hooked/entangled

“King George” a sub-adult loggerhead sea turtle was accidentally hooked at the M.B. Miller County Pier in Panama City Beach, Florida by recreational fishermen. 

The turtle was entangled with fishing gear around the left front flipper. Hooks were removed, including a large shark hook also embedded in the right front flipper, and braided fishing line that was embedded causing wounds and swelling were also removed. Some fishing line and a swivel were ingested but were unable to be recovered. Sea turtles often are able to pass foreign objects on their own during rehab so he/she will be closely monitored for signs of these passing. He/she is also being treated with antibiotics for the wound caused by the entanglement. 

King George is a repeat patient at our rehab facility. He/she was hooked at the Russell-Fields City Pier on July 4, 2023, and again at the M.B. Miller County Pier on August 9, 2024, both times being released a few months later. Sea turtles are opportunistic feeders and unfortunately, King George has decided that our local piers provide easy food.

We want to thank the staff and fishermen at the M.B. Miller County Pier for their assistance with King George’s rescue.