Officials: Florida man wanted to cook endangered sea turtle
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A rare sea turtle that a Florida fisherman wanted to cook and eat has been released back into the wild.
Officials at The Florida Aquarium say the fisherman snagged the Kemp's ridley sea turtle in May. Instead of releasing it, he put the 15-pound juvenile turtle in a tank in his backyard in Tampa.
Aquarium official Susan Coy tells The Tampa Tribune that the fisherman planned to cook and eat the endangered species, but a neighbor reported him to authorities.
It's not unheard of for turtle meat to be used in dishes such as soups.
Gary Morse, a spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, says the fisherman told investigators he didn't know the turtle was endangered.
The turtle named "Lucky" was rehabilitated at the aquarium until Wednesday, when it was released.
While this is probably not appropriate, and eating endangered species should be avoided...
Q: What do most endangered/ extinct animals have in common?
A: They taste really good
A guy caught a wild animal and was going to cook and eat it. Great God! Call out the National Guard.
There are Turtles in the wetlands area of North Golden Gardens. Don't know what kind our local variety is though.
These turtles are amazing and they can live for many years. Thank goodness the neighbor remembered that these turtles are endangered and reported this to the authorites. Swim on turtle, swim on for many years!
Good for the neighbor! Thanks for saving one of those endangered turtles.
Yep, follow the rules or get fined, but they do taste really good
Should have fined him. Then he might take time to learn the rules.