Five sea turtles were released back into the sea on Friday at the Beit Yanai National Park beach after completing their rehabilitation process at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority’s National Sea Turtle Rescue Center.
About 250 people, mostly families and children, arrived at Beit Yanai National Park beach to watch the release of Miriam, Chapa, Matzav, Ran and Nidal, the five sea turtles that made their way back to the sea.
The turtles spent recent months at the National Sea Turtle Rescue Center receiving veterinary care after arriving with limb injuries caused by entanglement in plastic bags. Their rehabilitation has now been completed, and the turtles were released near the shoreline to help them reach the water quickly.
The Israel Nature and Parks Authority emphasized that anyone who finds an injured or dead sea turtle must report it to the authority’s hotline (*3639). The authority instructed the public not to remove strings or plastic waste from sea turtles, but instead to bring the turtle, along with the plastic bag or waste entangling it, to the rescue center for appropriate treatment.
The authority has received reports of numerous sea turtles washing ashore entangled in plastic bags. However, contrary to the authority’s instructions, some people who found the turtles removed the material themselves and returned them to the sea.
Around 50,000 visit nature parks during Rosh Hashanah holiday
The release took place as around 50,000 visitors toured nature reserves and national parks during the Rosh Hashanah holiday, with some visitors witnessing the return of the turtles to their natural habitat.
Among the most visited sites were Habonim Nature Reserve, Ashkelon National Park, Ein Hemed National Park and Yarkon Tel Afek National Park.
Around 2,600 people also chose to spend Rosh Hashanah Eve at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority’s overnight campgrounds, with the most popular locations being Tel Dan and Achziv.
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