Rehabilitated Loggerhead Molly Released at Higgs Beach, Satellite Tagged
On November 26, 2025 the Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys released Molly, a rehabilitated loggerhead sea turtle weighing 170 pounds, at Higgs Beach in Key West. The event matters to Monroe County because Molly survived a major surgery to remove a record large tumor and was fitted with a satellite tag so residents and researchers can track her recovery and movements.
Molly, a 170 pound loggerhead, was returned to the waters off Higgs Beach on November 26 after nearly three months of rehabilitation at the Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys. The animal had been rescued in August after entanglement in crab trap line and arrival at the hospital with heavy barnacle fouling and a massive tumor. Veterinarians removed what the hospital reported as a record large tumor weighing about 10.1 pounds, performed lengthy follow up care, and completed the rehabilitation that allowed Molly to regain weight and mobility for release.
Hundreds of people attended the public release, which was accompanied by video and photographs distributed by the Florida Keys News Bureau. The hospital fitted Molly with a satellite tracking tag before she entered the water, and the Sea Turtle Conservancy has published her track for public viewing. The release drew broad regional media coverage and attention from conservation groups, highlighting both the intensive care provided by local wildlife responders and the value of public engagement in marine conservation.
For Monroe County residents the event underscores immediate conservation and community implications. The rescue followed interaction with a crab trap line, a common local fishing gear that can cause entanglements. The case reinforces the need for prevention measures, public awareness about proper gear stewardship, and timely reporting of injured wildlife so rehabilitation can begin quickly. The satellite tag also creates an educational opportunity for schools, tour operators, and residents to follow a rehabilitated sea turtle in near real time.
Beyond the single animal, Mollys recovery and release provide a visible metric of investment in local rehabilitation capacity and the role of nonprofit and media partnerships in conservation messaging. Continued public interest in tracking Molly may help sustain attention on local marine health issues, and could influence conversations about fishing practices, wildlife rescue funding, and tourism programming that connects visitors with the unique marine environment of the Florida Keys.
