Divers rescue ‘ginormous,’ severely-injured loggerhead turtle off Florida Keys

An “ancient,” 322-pound loggerhead turtle is getting a new lease on life thanks to an alert scuba diver who found it severely injured off the Florida Keys, according to the Turtle Hospital.

The “ginormous” turtle, now nicknamed “Lenny,” is estimated to be more than 60 years old and was found off the coast of Islamorada on Friday with “severe injuries to its front flipper and its head” because of a predator attack, staff said.

Diver Mike Papish worked with the Turtle Hospital and Sundance Water Sports “to organize a team to rescue the injured turtle after spotting him in distress on an earlier dive,” a Turtle Hospital news release states.

Turtle Hospital staff took Lenny via “turtle ambulance to its facility in Marathon for treatment.

“A full recovery is hoped for so the reproductive sea turtle can be returned to the wild just in time for mating season,” the news release states.