BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Two sea turtles will be released back into the Atlantic Ocean on Oct. 8 following treatment at the East Coast Zoological Foundation’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center at Brevard Zoo.
The release of Falafel, a sub-adult loggerhead sea turtle, and Julian, a juvenile green sea turtle, will take place at Howard E. Futch Memorial Park at Paradise Beach in Melbourne.
The public event will take place rain or shine, though lightning in the area may cause delays or cancellation.
Both turtles received extensive medical care at Brevard Zoo’s rehabilitation facility after local conservation organizations rescued them.
Rescue staff noted that releasing the turtles supports the ocean ecosystem, where sea turtles serve as a keystone species by maintaining seagrass beds and providing food for other marine species.
The Sea Turtle Preservation Society brought Julian to the center in October 2025 after finding the juvenile green sea turtle stranded on Satellite Beach.
Veterinary exams revealed Julian suffered from pneumonia, gastrointestinal parasites, minor carapace wounds and osteomyelitis, a bone infection that caused its left flipper to swell.
Medical staff also treated Julian for hypoglycemia caused by low blood glucose and hyperphosphatemia caused by high blood phosphate levels before restoring the turtle to health through medical care, nutrition and rest.
Coastal Connections Inc. brought Falafel to the rehabilitation center in June 2026. The sub-adult loggerhead was found with a recreational cast net line wrapped tightly around its left front flipper.
The abandoned gear cut off blood flow and severely damaged the tissue, requiring surgeons to remove the infected flipper.
Veterinary staff expect Falafel to thrive in the ocean with three flippers, noting that three-flipper sea turtles regularly survive in the wild.
The rehabilitation team noted that Falafel was in good health before becoming entangled, pointing to abandoned fishing equipment as a major threat to marine life.
The center advised anglers to retrieve all gear, refrain from fishing when turtles are nearby and leave beaches and waterways clean. Officials recommend reporting injured or entangled turtles to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission or the Sea Turtle Preservation Society without handling the animals directly.
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