The Florida Aquarium releases 8 sea turtles back into the wild

And they lived happily ever after.

Thanks to the efforts of The Florida Aquarium , eight juvenile green sea turtles are swimming in open waters again after their release on Wednesday, June 26.

Mel, Calico, Tula, Pompano, Phyll, Mo, Mac, and Pepper were found stranded off the east coast of Florida earlier this year. Due to prolonged exposure to cold air + water, the reptiles were suffering from skin infections, pneumonia, and other bacterial infections.

The eight turtles were taken to The Florida Aquarium’s Apollo Beach rehab center in March to undergo treatment and recover from their ordeal. The months of work since then led to the momentous release in Florida’s Ormond Beach.

To support the aquarium’s ongoing conservation efforts, you can visit in Tampa , check out the Apollo Beach campus , sign up for volunteer opportunities , or simply keep an eye out for Instagram updates (with footage of the release hopefully on its way).