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Announcing The Monthly Turtle Hospital E-mail Newsletter !!
Keep up on all the latest news, events and everything going on at the Hospital and in the world of sea turtle conservation. The hospital newsletter will also highlight new, interesting patients and which turtles have been released back into the wild! View exclusive photos and movies, too! To receive Turtle Hospital news in your mailbox once a month, click on the icon above!
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An adult female Loggerhead sea turtle gathered quite a bit of attention on Higgs Beach Sunday. Key West residents Tom Favelli and Gerald Hernandez were boating just offshore when they came across the turtle in distress, floating and unable to dive. After authorization by the FWC and a brief lesson in sea turtle rescue by the Turtle Hospital in Marathon, the rescuers were successful in guiding the turtle into shore where she was met by a large crowd of onlookers. “Obama” the Loggerhead, named by her rescuers, was then picked up by staff of the Turtle Hospital in Marathon, where she is now in rehabilitation
Obama with Dennis Tomlinson from San Diego, who assisted with the rescue.
Upon admittance, x-rays revealed that the turtle has a mild intestinal impaction and she is being treated with antibiotics and laxatives.
A juvenile Green Sea Turtle was found floating near the Crystal River Power Plant. The small turtle has a number of fibropapilloma tumors on the flippers and neck.
Dr Kristen from Marathon Veterinarian Hospital performed an endoscope procedure to determine if there are any internal fibropapilloma tumors. Unfortunately, Logan’s intestines were full of gas, making the internal inspection unsuccessful. A subsequent surgery will be scheduled, after treatment for the impaction.
Hugh Stevenson, visiting the Keys and staying at the Outdoor Resort was out kayaking on the north side of Long Key last Sunday. About 20 yards off shore, in only 2 feet of water, he found a Loggerhead Sea Turtle. Concerned as the turtle was floating and listless, he contacted the Turtle Hospital. Staff responded and were able to net the sub adult turtle.
Examination and blood analysis indicate that the emaciated turtle has a body cavity infection. Toby (named after Hugh’s home town of Tobermory, Ontario) is being treated with antibiotics and vitamins.
Update Jan 27, 2009
Despite best efforts by the staff the infection was in the blood system and had compromised a number of the organs (determined by necropsy).
Boaters spotted a Loggerhead Sea Turtle attached to a trap float and unable to dive. They contacted the Coast Guard who transported Turtle Hospital staff to the location, aprox 5 miles North of Marathon.
The turtle was captured by net
And brought aboard by Tom Luebke and Ryan Butts .
Mono filament fishing line was tightly wrapped around the neck and was attached to the trap line and float. The line was wrapped around four times and embedded into the skin, which made removal difficult.
The line had cut into the skin, causing a circumference wound. Fortunately, the wound is not so deep as to damage muscle or blood flow.
Goulet is strong, active and eating offered food. With wound care, antibiotics and vitamins, it is expected that the stay at the Turtle Hospital will be short.
Much thanks to the crew from US Coast Guard, Marathon Station for their help.
A juvenile Green Sea Turtle was found floating in a boat slip at the Port of Palm Beach. It’s left front flipper was missing due to an old injury and the turtle was attached by fishing line to a chicken wire crab trap.
Diana had swallowed the fishing line, apparent as line is coming out of the mouth and also the cloaca.
The line was cut off inside the mouth and the turtle will be given vegetable oil and laxatives to help the move the line through. Fishing line can damage the intestines and can not be “pulled out” due to the length and numerous turns in the digestive track.
Surgery is scheduled to have an endoscope inspection (to ensure no internal tumors are present) and to remove external fibropapilloma tumors.
Update Jan 08, 2009
Diana had an endoscope procedure which did not find any internal tumors! It was determined that she, is actually a he…
The intestines appear to be bunched up in one area, probably from the fishing line. This could be a problem if the line does not pass through.
Update August 15th 2009:
Diana is recovering well from his surgeries. He is active, alert and able to pass waste which means he will be able to be released. Diana has been moved to the shallow end of our 100,000 gl. while he remains under observation. If he has no re-growths, he will be released on the 1 year anniversary of his last surgical date.
A juvenile Green Sea Turtle was rescued by a boater in the channel by St John’s Power Plant.
The turtle was entangled in mono filament fishing line which was wrapped around the right front flipper (causing a deep constriction wound), around the right rear flipper (which is necrotic due to cut off blood supply) and attached to a large stick that was on the river bottom. There are a number of fibropapilloma tumors on the flippers, neck, leg holes and eyes.
Venus is scheduled for surgery to have an endoscope inspection (to ensure no internal tumors are present), amputate the necrotic flipper, remove the eye tumors and remove a very large tumor by the right rear flipper. Subsequent surgery will be performed to remove the remaining tumors. It is hoped that the front right flipper can be saved.
Update Jan 08, 2009
Venus had an endoscope procedure which did not find any internal tumors! She also had tumors removed from the eyes, rear flipper amputation and removal of a large, necrotic tumor.
Update Jan 20, 2009
Dr Jen from Marathon Veterinarian Hospital performed surgery to remove the remaining external fibropapilloma tumors.
Venus will now be monitored for a year, to ensure there are no re-growths.
Last Tuesday, Dr Doug Mader spent most of the day at the Turtle Hospital performing surgeries on a number of juvenile Green Sea Turtles that have fibropapilloma.
Wormy had an endoscope procedure to check for internal tumors (none found) and tumors removed from the flippers.
Rosie had an endoscope procedure to check for internal tumors (none found). Tumors were removed from her eyes and neck. She will require another surgery, when stronger, to remove the remaining tumors.
Petrie had an endoscope procedure to check for internal tumors (none found) and tumors removed from the neck. Another surgery will be scheduled, when stronger, to remove the remaining tumors.
Cavia had a large external tumor removed and will require addition surgery to remove the remaining tumors.
Lisa had a re-growth tumor removed from her neck.
The 5 patients were “dry docked” overnight to allow the anesthesia to completely wear off before returning the turtles to their tanks.
