TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) -Over on Tybee Island there were a group of sea turtles that hatched. Most of the newborns found their way to water immediately, but one specific hatchling found itself very far from home.

A Sandcastle Inn housekeeper found the turtle out back by the inn’s laundry room, and brought the newborn inside before management called the Tybee Island Marine Science Center, where biologist Sarah Alley came up with a hypothesis of how it ended up so far from the beach.

“Likely what happened here was one of the hatchlings was easily spotted by a bird, and birds are known for picking up anything they can to eat,” Alley said.

The turtle was likely able to get away by flailing its flippers according to Alley. It was lucky to be found when it was due to the scorching hot temperatures of the pavement on a hot sunny day.

“They’re not meant be frying in the sun so it definitely could have been detrimental to the turtle,” Alley said. “I was surprised to see there were no external injuries, it was a very active straggler.”

After hydrating and transporting the hatchling, Alley was able to take the newborn to a less populated area of Tybee’s beach before releasing it into the water, safe and sound.

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