Overview
- Aquarium of the Pacific staff released Porkchop on Feb. 27, 2026 after final exams cleared the turtle for return, with a microchip implanted for future identification.
- Volunteers with the aquarium’s Green Sea Turtle Monitoring Project first spotted the turtle entangled in fishing line and debris in March, triggering the rescue.
- Veterinarians removed a hook from the turtle’s mouth and amputated a necrotic front flipper, after which months of care restored strong swimming and feeding.
- A roughly 4,000-gallon, public-facing rehabilitation area opened in January, doubling the aquarium’s capacity; Porkchop was the first turtle showcased in the new tank.
- The aquarium is treating another large rescued turtle and is raising $50,000 to support ongoing rescue and rehab as discarded fishing gear and trash continue to threaten river turtles.