We are frequently asked about our patients, what type of care is required and our facility.
The Turtle Hospital has a 100,000 gallon salt water pool that is divided into 3 sections. The pool is home for our “Lifers” (turtle that can not be released due to type of injury) and turtles being rehabilitated, either recovering from fibropapilloma surgery (paps turtles are held for 1 year after surgery to ensure no re-growth) or turtles learning how to swim with only 3 flippers.
Our 23 tanks, ranging in size from 150 to 650 gallons are used for turtles requiring active treatments, turtles requiring shallow or no water and turtles too small to place in the pool.
Turtle Hospital Statistics March 28, 2008
Total residents – 40
Permanent residents (not releasable) – 14
11 – Green, 2 Loggerhead, 1 – Kemp’s Ridley
1 – blind / fibropapilloma
1 – boat hit / floating / paralyzed rear flippers / fibropapilloma
2 – boat hit / floating / shark attack / missing flipper(s)
1 – boat hit / floating
9 – boat hit / floating / fibropapilloma
Annual physicals (exam, x-rays, blood work)
Under rehabilitation – 26
11 – Green, 8 Loggerhead, 2 – Kemp’s Ridley, 5 – Hawksbill
7 – Floating, infection / impaction
3 – Floating / Emaciated
2 – Shark attack / missing flipper(s)
2 – Entanglement / missing flipper
2 – Entanglement / missing flipper / fibropapilloma
1 – Entanglement (physical therapy for flipper)
2 – Neurological disorder
1 – Boat hit
5 – fibropapilloma
1 – Fishhook ingestion / floating
Under active treatments
11 receive 3 to 5 injections (IM) (antibiotics / vitamins) every other day
12 receive fluids (injected subcutaneous) every other day
5 receive wound care (cleaned and debrided) every day
4 force fed every day
8 blood work weekly
16 blood work monthly
Surgeries scheduled as required. Usually between 3 and 7 per month:
Endoscope inspection of internal organs to identify fibropapilloma tumors
Removal of external fibropapilloma tumors (radio scalpel, laser)
Flipper amputation
Wound cleaning / closure
Fishhook removal
Duke (March 15, 2008)
Concerned boaters found a floating, sub adult Loggerhead Sea Turtle off of Rodriguez Key, near Tavernier. Contacting the FWC, they were authorized to bring the 93 pound turtle aboard their boat and transport it to Tavernier Creek Marina where Turtle Hospital staff met them.
Duke is strong and eating offered squid. Tests are underway to determine the cause of the floating problem.
Update March 19, 2008
X-rays and bloodwork indicate Duke has a body cavity infection. This would cause the turtle to float. Treatment will be antibiotics.
JJ (March 15, 2008)
A floating sub adult Loggerhead Sea Turtle was found by visitors from Michigan, aprox ¾ of a mile out in the ocean from the Matecumbe Resort. The couple gave up diving time to stay with the troubled turtle and arranged to have friends transport Turtle Hospital staff to the location by boat. Using a large net and some effort,
the 138 pound turtle was brought aboard
and transported back to shore.
JJ (named after rescuers Jamie and Jim) is currently undergoing examination and tests to determine the cause of not being able to dive.
Update March 19, 2008
X-rays reveal that JJ has an impacted intestine which has caused a build up of gas. Treatment will be mineral oil and metamucil.
Update July 28, 2008
Sadly JJ has passed. He had stopped eating two weeks ago and was getting weaker. Staff placed him in a shallow tank and started placement feeding. Necropsy identified the kidneys, pancreas and gall bladder were not normal and biopsies have been sent to the lab to better understand the cause of the problem.
Gigi (March 11, 2008)
A post hatchling Hawksbill Sea Turtle was found in sea weed that had washed up on the beach at Curry Hammock State Park. The turtle is extremely emaciated and is being force fed twice daily and receiving fluids (injected) every other day.
Gigi is being kept on a wet towel heated by a hot water pump.
Update March 17, 2008
Gigi lost the battle. Necropsy identified the cause as a number of small pieces of plastic and short section of fishing line which had been eaten and impacted the digestive track. The problem of hatchlings being affected by plastic pollution is becoming more apparent. A recent study revealed close to one hundred infant turtles had died due to ingesting small bits of trash, possibly mistaking the translucent scraps as their normal food source.
Cuda (March 10, 2008)
A juvenile Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle was found by fishermen in the Tavernier Creek Marina area. The small (8.7 pound) turtle had nylon twine tightly wrapped around the base of the left front flipper which had cut into the skin. The twine was attached to a plastic float.
After being treated with initial dosages of antibiotics and vitamins, Cuda was placed in one of the large pools to encourage use of the damaged flipper in hopes of restoring blood flow to the limb.
Koalani (March 8, 2008)
An adult Loggerhead Sea Turtle was found by US Coast Guard personnel, floating in the Key West Coast Guard Station boat basin. Concerned, as the turtle was floating on the surface and being pushed into a corner by the wind, they contacted the Turtle Hospital. With a great deal of muscle provided by the Coast Guard, the 188 pound turtle was netted and lifted up a seawall and into the ambulance.
Koalani (Hawaiian for “Heavenly Warrior”) was very weak and emaciated. Staff administered Atropine and fluids prior to transporting to Marathon. No apparent problems showed up on the X-rays and blood work is in process to determine if infections or other problems can be identified. Due to the weakened state of the animal, it will be “dry docked”, being kept out of water, until regaining enough strength where it is able to lift it’s head above water to breath.
Update March 19, 2008
Koalani appears to have a body cavity infection. Additionally it has been determined that the jaws can only be opened about an inch which would indicate “lockjaw”. This has been seen as a secondary problem in some turtle with infections. Lockjaw requires daily physical therapy where the jaws are forced apart to regain the ability to open normally.
Koalani is unable to eat and is being “tube fed” where a hose is inserted into the stomach and nutritional fluids are administered daily. This has to be done on a stand so the turtle is at a 45 degrees angle to ensure the fluids are not aspirated.
Update March 30, 2008
Koalani remains very sick. In addition to the infection and lock jaw we are dealing with pneumonia as well. Fluids are periodically removed from the lungs using a vacuum pump and the turtle is getting double doses of antibiotics administered daily.
Update April 10, 2008
Dr Doug Mader and Turtle Hospital staff used an endoscope to inspect Koaloni’s lungs. The lungs are clear of fluids so it would appear the treatment for pneumonia was successful. The turtle continues to be very weak and is receiving daily medications and being kept under a heat lamp at night.
Update April 14, 2008
Koalani has been placed in shallow water and is able to raise it’s head to breath. This makes feeding much easier as squid can be placed down the throat and the turtle is able to swallow (being in water).
Update May 1, 2008
Koaloni continues to improve. The water level in the tank has been raised and the turtle is able to stay on the bottom (no longer floating!) and come for air. Daily physical therapy for lock jaw continues as does “placement feeding”.
Update June 16, 2008
Koalani’s condition had recently deteriorated and despite staff’s best efforts, we were unable to save the animal. Necropsy reveled that a number of the organs had been damaged by disease.
(click above to visit the store)
The Turtle Hospital is happy to announce
the grand opening of our online store!
You can order a famous Turtle Hospital T-shirt,
choose from dozens of sea turtle gifts,
and even adopt a sea turtle!
The Turtle Hospital is a non-profit organization dedicated solely to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of one of our most endangered marine creatures…but we do need your help. Each turtle treated at the hospital is extremely important to the population and every dollar you spend gets them that much closer to returning home. We are funded primarily by the interest and generosity of people like you.
100% of the proceeds go directly to the care of the turtles.
(click any of the above to visit the store)
The Turtle Hospital is a non-profit 501c(3) charitable organization.
Hale (March 3, 2008)
A juvenile Green Sea turtle was found in the Key West area with a front flipper entangled in trap line. There are also a number of large fibropapilloma tumors attached to the front and rear flippers.
The flipper has been damaged due to the trap line but there is still blood flow to it.
Hale has been moved to the large pool area to encourage use and exercise of the flipper in hopes of saving it. Surgery will be scheduled in the future to perform an endoscope procedure (to ensure no internal tumors are present) and then to remove all of the external tumors.
Update March 20, 2008
Hale had several surgical procedures performed by Dr Doug Mader, assisted by Turtle Hospital staff. Endoscope inspection of the internal organs found one suspicious area. A biopsy was performed and sample sent to the lab where it will be analyzed to determine if it is internal fibropapilloma. The damaged front flipper was removed. Trap line had damaged most of the tissue and muscle and there was no chance of healing.
A large fibropapilloma tumor was removed from the other front flipper. Additional external tumors will be removed if lab results come back negative for internal tumors.
