A beach run in Brevard County, Florida, became a turtle rescue when resident Sage Lajoie came across a nesting sea turtle stuck beneath a crossover at Bonsteel Beach Park.
What happened?
According to Fox 35 Orlando, the rescue felt personal for Lajoie. Last year, when she found another turtle in trouble, it didn't survive. That earlier loss changed Lajoie's routine.
She told the outlet that she now checks beneath beach crossovers while running, and during this outing, she said she found the female sea turtle trapped under one of the wooden structures, unable to get back to the water.
"Immediately I started digging," Lajoie said, before calling the Sea Turtle Preservation Society for help.
With volunteers assisting after they arrived, the turtle was freed and then stayed on the beach for about 30 minutes while responders cooled it with wet towels. It later made its way back into the water.
For Lajoie, helping this animal also reopened feelings from the turtle she lost last year.
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"I have been absolutely torn up," she said. "I felt like it was my responsibility to find her. She's right by my neighborhood. I'm on the beach every day."
Joel Cohen, communications director for the Sea Turtle Preservation Society, said Lajoie's actions likely saved the animal's life.
Why does it matter?
The episode points to a preventable danger. Manmade structures, such as crossovers, can trap nesting sea turtles trying to return to the ocean after laying their eggs.
During nesting season in Brevard County, Cohen explained that turtles repeatedly get stuck under beach crossovers.
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"[If] you go down to the beach in the morning, look under the crossover," he said, adding, "It's a human cause. The humans can fix it," per Fox 35 Orlando.
To keep turtles from getting trapped in the first place, Cohen advocated for slats that can be installed across crossover openings, a simple and inexpensive solution.
If anyone encounters a sea turtle in distress, the Sea Turtle Preservation Society asks that they contact the organization immediately so volunteers can provide guidance and arrive quickly.
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