Injured sea turtles return home after treatment: CD Chill, Crack Head Fred and Mighty Luke recovered at the Virginia Aquarium Marine Animal Care Center.

Byline: Mark St. John Erickson

Jun. 25--VIRGINIA BEACH -- Three endangered sea turtles will be released off the shores of the Chesapeake Bay Wednesday morning after being successfully rehabilitated over the past seven months by the Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Team.

All three animals, which include two loggerheads and a Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, were nursed back to health at the aquarium's Marine Animal Care Center in Virginia Beach after being found stranded and sick in area waters.

One of the loggerheads, nicknamed CD Chill, was suffering from hypothermia, severe shell lesions, dehydration and pneumonia when it was found floating in the Elizabeth River near the Dominion Power Plant on Feb. 1. Since entering the program's care it has gained 29 pounds, an aquarium spokeswoman said.

The other loggerhead became known as Crack Head Fred after sustaining a fractured skull that caused serious neurological problems. Rescued this past October, he recovered after about 3 months of intensive rehabilitation, including physical therapy, massage, and hand feeding.

The Kemp's Ridley turtle, known as Mighty Luke, was suffering from severe entanglement wounds -- including in the loss of his right rear flipper and part of the right fore flipper -- when he was found on Dam Neck beach this past November. Though emaciated, anemic, hypothermic and hypoglycemic because of its injuries, the animal is now in such good health that it can be returned to the ocean, the spokeswoman said.

All three turtles will be released at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Chick's Beach near Alexander's on the Bay restaurant, which is located at the foot of Fentress Avenue and the waterfront, Virginia Beach. Call 385-0252 for information.

To see more of the Daily Press, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.dailypress.com.

Copyright (c) 2007, Daily Press, Newport News, Va.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

TICKER SYMBOL(S): NYSE:ALX

Injured sea turtles return home after treatment: CD Chill, Crack Head Fred and Mighty Luke recovered at the Virginia Aquarium Marine Animal Care Center.

Byline: Mark St. John Erickson

Jun. 25--VIRGINIA BEACH -- Three endangered sea turtles will be released off the shores of the Chesapeake Bay Wednesday morning after being successfully rehabilitated over the past seven months by the Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Team.

All three animals, which include two loggerheads and a Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, were nursed back to health at the aquarium's Marine Animal Care Center in Virginia Beach after being found stranded and sick in area waters.

One of the loggerheads, nicknamed CD Chill, was suffering from hypothermia, severe shell lesions, dehydration and pneumonia when it was found floating in the Elizabeth River near the Dominion Power Plant on Feb. 1. Since entering the program's care it has gained 29 pounds, an aquarium spokeswoman said.

The other loggerhead became known as Crack Head Fred after sustaining a fractured skull that caused serious neurological problems. Rescued this past October, he recovered after about 3 months of intensive rehabilitation, including physical therapy, massage, and hand feeding.

The Kemp's Ridley turtle, known as Mighty Luke, was suffering from severe entanglement wounds -- including in the loss of his right rear flipper and part of the right fore flipper -- when he was found on Dam Neck beach this past November. Though emaciated, anemic, hypothermic and hypoglycemic because of its injuries, the animal is now in such good health that it can be returned to the ocean, the spokeswoman said.

All three turtles will be released at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Chick's Beach near Alexander's on the Bay restaurant, which is located at the foot of Fentress Avenue and the waterfront, Virginia Beach. Call 385-0252 for information.

To see more of the Daily Press, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.dailypress.com.

Copyright (c) 2007, Daily Press, Newport News, Va.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

TICKER SYMBOL(S): NYSE:ALX