Clara Macciocchi was out for a run on a Florida beach and noticed a lot of seaweed on the shoreline that day. She was keeping an eye out for cool shells she might be able to collect when she spotted something unusual in the waves and realized it was an animal who needed help.
A young green sea turtle had washed ashore and was clearly struggling. Immediately, Macciocchi knew she couldn’t leave her.
“I spotted her in the seaweed when a lot of people walked past her and completely missed her,” Macciocchi told The Dodo. “She was super sluggish, barely moving when I spotted her.”
Macciocchi contacted the Clearwater Marine Aquarium to come out and help the turtle, but was told it would be a while before they could get there. So, after moving the turtle away from the shoreline a bit to a place where she could safely rest, Macciocchi sat down with her and waited.
“I stayed with her because I’ve learned a lot about sea turtles and have been in Florida almost my whole life, and I know that juvenile sea turtles do not come up on the shore,” Macciocchi said.
She had only been five minutes into her run, but as soon as she saw the turtle, her plans completely changed. There was no way she was going to leave her alone.
For three hours, Macciocchi waited. It was cold on the beach that day, so her friends brought her blankets, a coat and pizza. The sun set around them, and then they waited in the dark, refusing to leave the turtle’s side until help finally arrived.
“A sweet older couple who usually patrol a beach further down south came to pick up and transfer her over to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium,” Macciocchi said. “I was told that she was likely cold-stunned as a result of the water being so cold lately.”
The turtle was taken into the aquarium’s rehabilitation program, where she could get warmed up and rest. Once she’s fully healed, she’ll be released back into the wild.
Macciocchi rearranged her entire day to care for the struggling sea turtle, and she wouldn’t have had it any other way.
