The Turtle Hospital
The puffer fish was pulled out of the turtle's mouth.
A 99-pound loggerhead sea turtle, who was found with a puffer fish stuck in his throat, was released back into Florida waters after being rehabilitated.
The Turtle Hospital in Marathon said the turtle named Puffer, was released on Jan. 6 after being rescued on Dec. 17.
The sub-adult turtle was found by a family and he was struggling to breathe. Puffer fish, otherwise known as blowfish, can double their size by "expanding their elastic stomachs with water," the hospital said. Some are also lethal to humans, if eaten.
The family called authorities for permission to rescue the turtle as it is a protected species. A life jacket was used to keep the turtle afloat and a swim ladder was used to put the turtle on the boat. To make sure the turtle was breathing, they used a bite block to keep the mouth open so they could deflate the puffer fish and remove it.
The hospital says turtles "are notorious for eating anything, including all types of marine debris such as plastics and Styrofoam."
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