Help Track Ozzy the Sea Turtle

Move over Katharine the Great White Shark. There’s a new critter in the ocean that folks at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium are hoping people will love to follow just as much.

Ozzy, a rehabilitated loggerhead sea turtle, was released back into the wild on Sept. 9. The critter is the first ever released by CMA to have a satellite tracking tag attached at release.

To keep up with Ozzy’s journey through Gulf waters and beyond, the aquarium needs some financial support though. The anticipated expense is about $10,000, which includes the tag, software, monthly charges and additional fees. The initial tag purchase was funded through a partnership between the aquarium and the Sea Turtle Conservancy.

The satellite tag is designed to send signals directly back to the aquarium’s team. This, in turn, will enable staff “to observe how their rehabilitated turtles behave once they are released back to the wild.”

Since CMA is a nonprofit, funding just isn’t available to cover all the costs. That’s why it “needs your help to track her progress,” the organization wrote in an email to media. “Your support will help with the expense of Ozzy’s satellite tag and allow CMA to continue this program for other rehabilitated and released sea turtles.”

Ozzy was found entangled in fishing line and crab trap rope back on Nov. 23, 2013. Plucked from waters off Pasco County, the little turtle was delivered to CMA and remained there until earlier this month.

“Through platelet rich plasma therapy and wound care, she regained her strength under the watchful eye of the turtle team,” the aquarium explained. “After passing several veterinary tests to assess her deep water swimming and ability to hunt for food, Ozzy was cleared for release.”

Anyone who wants to help track Ozzy will find an online fundraiser has been launched by the aquarium. So far, a little more than $3,600 of the needed $10,000 has been raised.

To find out more about Ozzy and the fundraiser, visit the online campaign.

There’s no word yet on whether the aquarium will make Ozzy’s whereabouts known quite as publicly as Ocearch, a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to researching great white sharks and other apex predators, does its sharks. That organization makes it easy for followers to keep up with the movements of Katharine and other celebrity sharks as they cruise through Atlantic and Gulf waters.

CMA YouTube video screenshot