MELBOURNE, Fla. – A juvenile loggerhead sea turtle that was rescued after being stranded and covered in barnacles was finally released into the ocean.
After weeks of intensive treatment at The Turtle Hospital in Marathon, “Scooby” finally became well enough to return to the sea.
On Wednesday, the good folks from the facility took the beloved turtle to a beach in Melbourne, not far from where she was rescued.
He was tagged with a device so scientists can track her every move.
Scooby was rescued in March. Her entire body was encrusted in barnacles.
Over the next several weeks, doctors painstakingly and carefully removed those barnacles one by one.
She has also become quite the viral star. Videos of her recovery have amassed more than 50 million views on TikTok.