A loggerhead sea turtle that was caught in a crab trap line has returned home after getting a helping hand in Key West.
The massive loggerhead, named Molly, spent three months recovering at The Turtle Hospital after getting caught in a crab trap line.
Her veterinary team said Molly was covered in barnacles and was suffering from a massive tumor.
At first, her recovery seemed impossible, but vets say she refused to give up.
“When Molly was admitted to Turtle Hospital, her blood levels were critically low, that ginormous tumor was oozing blood, so it was a very risky surgery, I’ll say that. So we did the risky surgery, the veterinary team were able to remove that tumor. Once that tumor was removed, Molly started getting stronger every day, and her resilience was amazing,” said Bette Zirkelbach, a manager at The Turtle Hospital.
The tumor was reportedly the largest ever recorded on a sea turtle, making Molly’s recovery all the more miraculous.
Hundreds showed up off the shores of Key West to celebrate her journey back into the ocean.
Before her release, she was fitted with a tracking tag so researchers can get data on the movement of loggerhead turtles.