Kemp's ridley gets released in Virginia

The naming theme for 2018 hooked sea turtles recovered by the Virginia Aquarium is 'flowers' and Petunia was the first turtle to be recovered in June. This juvenile Kemp's ridley turtle was foul-hooked in the right front flipper by a recreational angler fishing from the Buckroe Beach Fishing pier. The pier participates in the Aquarium's pier partner Program and anglers and staff assist the Aquarium by recovering hooked turtles so they can have hooks removed and be radiographed for secondary hooks. Petunia's tag and the resulting data analyses are part of a joint research Program between the Virginia Aquarium and Naval Facilities Engineering Command-Atlantic with funding provided by U.S. Fleet Forces Command.