Coast Guard rescues 800-pound turtle trapped in fishing lines

ABOVE: Watch as Coast Guard rescuers struggle to free an 800-pound sea turtle trapped in fishing lines 

Rescue crews helped free an 800-pound Leatherback sea turtle trapped in fishing gear off the coast of southern New Jersey.

Someone on a fishing boat spotted the turtle Wednesday morning and alerted the Coast Guard to its location.

Rescuers were able to use their hands to extricate the turtle from the tangled fishing gear.

The turtle then swam off.

Leatherback turtles are among the largest reptiles in the world, but incidental traps created by fishing gear are one of the primary threats to their survival.


Source: http://globalnews.ca/news/1506406/watch-coast-guard-rescues-800-pound-turtle-trapped-in-fishing-lines/