World Turtle Day at Sea Life Sunshine Coast

Sea Life Sunshine Coast celebrates today's World Turtle Day in shell-tacular style with the successful release of Col, a juvenile Green Sea Turtle earlier this week.

Col’s release marked a new milestone for the Sunshine Coast attraction, with 1,000 successful releases since 1989.

In March this year, Col - who was named after his rescuer Coolum Coast Care Volunteer Colin Ingram – was found on Marcus Beach on its back and in distress.

Two months later, Col passed his final health checks with flying colours after growing in size and regaining its appetite, was released off the Mooloolaba coastline, close to the Eastern Australian Current.

Sea Life Sunshine Coast’s Animal Health Manager, Emily Thomas, said it’s always a bittersweet moment releasing rescued turtles, commenting: “To have successfully released 1,000 turtles is an exciting milestone for us and is a great reminder of the amazing results we have achieved in the turtle rescue and rehabilitation space. While we will miss Col and his unique personality, we are very pleased to see him back out and in the ocean, just in time for World Turtle Day.”

Book a Behind the Scenes Tour with the family today, to learn all about our turtle hospital and our rescue, rehabilitate and release program. It's a great activity for kids on the Sunshine Coast.