Coast Guard Rescues Ancient Sea Turtle

An ancient sea turtle nearly half the size of a mature steer was rescued near the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in New York Harbor, the Coast Guard said. The turtle, estimated to weigh 600 pounds and to be nearly a century old, was spotted during a ship inspection. It had snagged its left fin on a line attached to the tanker and was weak from trying to keep afloat with one free fin. The Coast Guard returned the animal to the sea rather than taking it to an aquarium. The Atlantic Green turtle, an endangered species and one of the largest sea-going turtles, nests in Florida but can be found throughout the world in tropical and sub-tropical oceans.