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Loggerhead sea turtle hit by boat, found dead on Jupiter Island

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JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — A female loggerhead sea turtle found dead in northern Palm Beach County was another victim of boat strikes this nesting season.

Loggerhead Marinelife Center marketing and social media coordinator Cassidy Sparks tells The Palm Beach Post the turtle was discovered Saturday on Jupiter Island.

Sparks says boats have injured 18 sea turtles in the northern Palm Beach County area since March 1 and three have survived.

A Jupiter resident found the latest victim with four strikes that had cracked open the turtle's shell. It's unclear whether propellers from a boat hit her in the Atlantic Ocean or the Intracoastal Waterway.

The Marinelife Center says boaters should obey posted speeds, place engines in neutral if turtles are seen nearby, and stay at least 150 feet (50 meters) away from sea life.

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Information from: The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post, http://www.pbpost.com