Sea Life marks Ted the sea turtle’s birthday

Sea Life Orlando Aquarium celebrated the 22nd birthday of Ted the sea turtle this week with a “birthday cake” made of fish, krill, pellet, fruit and vegetables inside a colorful block of ice. The International Drive attraction also saluted the shelled millennial with a giveaway of 22 loggerhead turtle plushes to visitors.

Ted has been in the aquarium since 2016 and gets his name from the Turtle Excluder Device. He was one of the first creatures to test the product, which is used to keep turtles from being caught in fishing nets. Ted, according to Sea Life’s website, was released into the wild several times but kept returning to shore.

Last year, Ted was voted Orlando’s most-loved animal in a Visit Orlando competition, and he will be featured on the tail of a Frontier Airlines plane.

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