This past Tuesday (Feb. 22nd) two of our Green sea turtles got to go back to their ocean home!  Both Luna & Melissa were brought to the Turtle Hospital over a year ago to be treated for Fibropapilloma. Fibropapillomatosis, which mainly affects juvenile Green sea turtles, is a virus which causes tumor like growths. Although the tumors are completely benign, they are often debilitating leaving the affected sea turtle blind or weakened. There is no cure for the virus, however the external tumors can be surgically removed and typically do not regrow.  Luckly both Luna & Melissa were able to go for a whole year without regrowths and were released about 6-miles off of Marathon in sea grass beds!

Luna when she was first admitted to the Turtle Hospital in Jan. 2010 (top), and Melissa with her rescuers in Nov. 2009 (bottom).