Two sea turtles were released at Diggers Beach, Coffs Harbour, this morning after six months of rehabilitation at Dolphin Marine Conservation Park.

Federal Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan released one of the turtles this morning and said the experience was uplifting.

“Interacting with marine wildlife is one of the best experiences a person can have,” he said.

“The staff at Dolphin Marine Conservation Park’s Dolphin Rescue team do an excellent job to rehabilitate injured wildlife and educate the community on what to do if they spot an injured animal.”

The McCormack-Morrison Government provided $20,000 to the conservation park through the Communities Environment Program. Dolphin Marine Rescue then purchased an industrial heater to keep the pre-release tank for rehabilitated turtles at an appropriate temperature.

In addition, Dolphin Marine Rescue has assisted NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to gain a better understanding about turtle nesting locations and frequencies in New South Wales. They have also conducted a series of educational workshops for residents to outline what to do if they find a turtle nest or an injured sea turtle.

Dolphin Marine Rescue has released five sea turtles back into the wild since May and have 18 turtles currently in its care. EcoGroms, young eco-warriors, attend every turtle release as the school students take stories back to their classmates and promote marine stewardship.