A Wild Weekend in the Florida Keys

 

A Wild Weekend of Wildlife Rescue

There's never a dull moment when living in Key West, and I have learned that the term "wild weekend" can be applicable in more ways than one. This weekend is the calm before the storm of Fantasy Fest kicks off, so it was the perfect opportunity for a road trip to Sombrero Beach to spend time with one of my favorite creatures -- a sea turtle. The Turtle Hospital was releasing a rehabilitated loggerhead turtle back into the sea, so we headed up the Keys to see her release.

We made it as far as Summerland Key before our first wildlife encounter. An egret was standing on the side of the road, entirely too close to the highway. No sooner had I said, "Ooh, that's a dangerous place to stand," I looked in the rear view mirror and saw the car behind us hit it. It was a sickening sight, and we immediately turned the car around and went back to check on the bird. It remained in the road where it had been hit, long legs folded underneath it, its graceful neck tucked in, and its left wing sticking up at an awkward angle. It was calm and alert, which we took to be a good sign, so Operation Bird Rescue was on!

While I called the wildlife rescue center, my husband scooped the injured egret up with a beach towel. We learned we would  have to drive it back to the wildlife center in Key West, so I was resigning myself to not seeing the turtle's release, when a Sheriff's car pulled up. She knew of a closer wildlife rescue center on Big Pine Key, so she called ahead and escorted us there. There was some slight disappointment that our bird didn't get escorted with flashing lights and wailing sirens, but it did arrive in style! We handed it over to the experts, who said it didn't appear to be too badly injured. Hopefully the egret is recuperating well in his new temporary home!

In good hands... the egret was safely delivered to a wildlife rescue center

Big Pine Key made for a pleasant detour. It is unique among the Florida Keys, for it has a population of native Key Deer. They are relatives of white-tailed deer that are believed to have migrated to the Keys over a land bridge thousands of years ago during the Wisconsin glaciation. They are small deer, more like large dogs really, and they are now an endangered species inhabiting only a few Keys. Our bird rescuing efforts were rewarded when we had our second wildlife encounter with some friendly, inquisitive Key Deer!

Endangered Key Deer in Big Pine Key

We continued on our way to Marathon and made it with enough time to check out Sombrero Beach, one of the nicest beaches south of the mainland. The powdery white sand is formed by a special algae that thrives in the warm waters of the Florida Keys. Patches of sargassum seaweed line the sea floor and wash ashore, providing micro-ecosystems and helping the marine life thrive. What better place to release a sea turtle? 

Sombrero Beach, Marathon

Sombrero Beach is already a popular location for sea turtles to nest

Xiomy the sea turtle not only had a police escort, she was transported in The Turtle Hospital ambulance, accompanied by a film crew, and arrived to over two hundred people anxiously awaiting a glimpse of the Keys' newest celebrity.

Xiomy was rescued this past summer in Islamorada after local residents noticed her struggling to swim in their backyard canal. They contacted The Turtle Hospital, and with the help of Florida Wildlife Conservation, she was rescued on July 29th. She had a deep propeller wound and required several months of rehabilitation and treatment at The Turtle Hospital. Her shell remains deeply scarred, but the staff said that it will continue to harden as it heals. She was deemed ready for release, and today she returned home to the sea.

Xiomy the loggerhead sea turtle ready for release

Her shell will continue to heal, but she'll always carry the scar of her ordeal

Somewhere in there, Xiomy is rediscovering her world!

 

Having the opportunity to see Xiomy's release and learn her story was a humbling experience. She is an adolescent, only 13 years old, with the potential to live another 80 years. She won't be ready to reproduce for another 20 years, but when she does, she will return to this beach where she was released, as it's now her "home beach" association. It's awe-inspiring to think that in 2033, Xiomy could crawl back ashore here, still bearing the scars of her youth, and bury her eggs in the soft white sand. Perhaps her nest will be roped off and protected by some of the local children who cheered her release today; maybe they will be there with their children to see her return, and recount the story of her release.

These magnificent creatures I encountered today all taught me powerful lessons of compassion and humility. Living in the Florida Keys means living in a delicate balance with nature and the local ecosystems. It is inspiring to see a community come together to save and honor our feathered, furry, and flippered neighbors, and it's an important reminder that a "wild weekend" in the Florida Keys can happen at any time. 

Godspeed, Xiomy!

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