Nutella the sea turtle returns to Marathon beach after recovery

Nutella, the sea turtle rescued from fishing-line entanglement, returned to Marathon beach after a recovery that included tumor removal and laser therapy, giving Monroe County a rare Earth Day success story.

The release on Marathon beach marked the end of a difficult rehabilitation for the turtle, whose treatment combined surgery and laser therapy after wildlife workers found the animal wrapped in discarded line. The recovery stood out as a small but vivid win for Florida Keys wildlife conservation, with Nutella moving from injury to release in the same stretch of Monroe County shoreline where the rescue effort began.

The case carried a familiar warning for the Keys, where fishing line left behind on shore, in marinas or from boats can quickly become deadly for sea turtles and other marine life. A single stray line can wrap around a flipper, cut into tissue or lead to injuries that require surgery, as Nutella’s case showed.

Nutella’s return also put a local spotlight on the kind of everyday behavior that can prevent the next injury. Discarded line should not be left on docks, beaches or boat decks, and anglers who lose tackle need to treat it as a hazard, not litter. Boaters can help too by keeping gear secured and making sure nothing trails overboard where wildlife can snag it.

For Marathon and the broader Florida Keys, the release was more than a feel-good moment. It was a reminder that conservation here often depends on ordinary choices made by residents, visitors and boaters who share the same waters. Nutella’s recovery, from entanglement to tumor removal, laser therapy and release, ended where it mattered most: back on a Monroe County beach, healthy enough to go home.