JUNO BEACH, FL---The Marinelife Center of Juno Beach is a comprehensive turtle rehab facility that is free for humans and turtles too. Within the tanks turtles big and small are well cared for day in and day out.
The ultimate goal is to get injured turtles healthy and back into the open water. While that's not always possible, the center has a 80% success rate when it comes to the rehabilitation and release of injured turtles.
"If you were a turtle you would come to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center for a wonderful re-operation from whatever your ailment might be, " said Nanette Lawrenson, the center's executive director.
One turtle in particular has captured the hearts of many in South Florida. Her name is Gilda.
"Gilda came to us a year ago. She had been hit by a large boat," said Deb Mauser, Marinelife Center Hospital Coordinator.
Gilda's injuries included one amputated fin and another fractured, as well as neck lacerations, and even a cut off nose.
"Gilda has had numerous surgeries. There were some complications with the flipper. There was a large hole there," said Mauser.
But now, after several months and new therapy, Gilda's outlook is brighter.
"Our vet said that we needed to do something similar to thera-bands that humans would use in physical therapy, so I just started brainstorming and came up with this device," said Mauser as she showed off a harness made of elastic bands.
The bands allow Gilda to swim in place and strengthen her fins. The hope is she will be back in the ocean in a few months. Once out in the wild, the center would like to track her progress, but that's a little pricey.
"It's about seven thousand dollars for a transmitter so we're looking for some help. If anybody would like to contribute they can certainly call me and find out a little more about what we have planned," said Lawrenson.
But transmitting or not the most important thing for Gilda is to resume her former life.
"People often ask if we miss them. It's not so much that we miss them, our job is to get them back out there. We don't want to see them in tanks, we want to see them in the ocean," said Mauser.
