Seasons Greetings from The Turtle Hospital! If you’re still looking for the perfect holiday gift, visit The Turtle Hospital Online Store and give the gift that gives twice! Find great items such as unique jewelry, Turtle Hospital t-shirts & hoodies, books and so much more! You can also adopt a sea turtle, donate or become a Member and join our Turtle Hospital family this season! What’s best is that 100% of the proceeds of each gift will directly benefit our sea turtles. The Turtle Hospital is a non-profit organization funded by the generosity and compassion of people like you. Truly, none of this could be done without your continued support.
So this year do some shopping here, because giving two times is twice as nice!
Click here to start shopping: http://turtlehospitalstore.com/
Adopt A Sea Turtle: http://turtlehospitalstore.com/adoptions.html
Donate: http://turtlehospitalstore.com/donations.html
Become A Member: http://turtlehospitalstore.com/memberships.html
Thank you for joining us in our efforts to ensure the survival of these beautiful endangered sea turtles. As 2009 comes to a close, we want to thank each of you who helped support us throughout the year. We wish all of our friends Happy Holidays and the very best in the New Year. We look forward to seeing you again soon!
Happy Holidays,
Turtle Hospital Staff
Charter Boat Captain Steve of The Galloping Ghost in Key West is a true Sea Turtle Rescuer! On Saturday, November 21st Steve was out flats fishing with a client when he noticed a small turtle floating by. He was able to reach out and pull the tired and weak turtle on his boat. This was the first time he would ever rescue a sea turtle in distress but not the last! Turtle Hospital staff met Steve on Stock Island to pick up the small turtle he named Melissa, after his wife. Melissa is suffering from Fibropapilloma, a virus that causes tumor-like growths on sea turtles. Amazingly, only a few short days later on November 23rd, he was out fishing again and brought in a very big catch! A 210 pound adult Loggerhead sea turtle!
Named Stevie, this adult male Loggerhead sea turtle appears to have a shell infection. Stevie was so large that it took a fork lift to move him from the boat to The Turtle Hospital ambulance! Back at The Turtle Hospital, Stevie is being treated with antibiotics as well as a topical anti-biotic to prevent further damage from the infection. We expect a full recovery from Stevie. Melissa, the first turtle rescued, is awaiting an endoscope to check for internal tumors. As long as Melissa has no internal tumors, staff from The Marathon Veterinary Hospital will remove her external tumors. She will then remain here at the hospital for one year under observation to ensure she has no re-growths.
Stevie the Loggerhead, Melissa the Green and The Turtle Hospital Staff would like to extend a special Thank You to Captain Steve for saving the life of not just one but two endangered sea turtles!
UPDATE December 10th:
Good news! Melissa has no internal tumors! Surgery will be scheduled to remove the external tumors. Stevie also continues to show improvement but is being treated with antibiotics to continue fighting the infection.
UPDATE May 2nd:
Stevie, a 200 pound adult Loggerhead, was rescued in November by Captain Steve of The Galloping Ghost. Suffering from an infection, the large male sea turtle was stuck at the surface unable to dive. Once at The Turtle Hospital, treatment included antibiotic therapy, vitamins and a little rest and relaxation.
Five months had passed since his rescue and Stevie was feeling like a brand new turtle! Once the infection cleared Stevie was more than ready to return to his ocean home. On a beautiful Sunday evening, just before sunset, a crowd of more than 300 fans gathered to wish him well and say goodbye.
The Turtle Hospital would like to sincerely thank all who attended the release!
The Turtle Hospital would like to extend a special thank you to The Kinder Porter Scott Family Foundation for their generous donation. The Kinder Porter Scott Family Foundation is a small family foundation that began 40 years ago. Located in Lincoln, Nebraska they are funded solely through family investments. Each year, the family members choose a non-profit facility to donate to, usually related to helping children, animals and schools. This last October, after seeing a story about a sea turtle named Kincaid on Fox News, Jean Jennings recommended The Turtle Hospital as the recipient of their generous donation. In memory of Katherine Anne (Kit Scott) the Scott Family came to Marathon to tour The Turtle Hospital. William, Tracy, Riley and Avery arrived to personally represent their foundation, make a donation and meet the sea turtles they were helping. As with each donation, this contribution will have a direct impact on our current 49 patients by helping us provide all the food and medication they need. We want to thank The Kinder Porter Scott Family Foundation for helping us save these endangered sea turtles! We could not do it without you! Thank you!
Wilma, a 187 pound female Loggerhead, was rescued on October 25th the 4 year anniversary of Hurricane Wilma. Wilma had obviously been in some trouble before, her carapace has two old prop scars and she is missing the tip of her right front flipper. However Wilma was rescued on Long Key, found entangled in fishing line. This is the second turtle we have recently rescued from this area suffering from a monofiliment fishing line entanglement. Unfortunetly, just like Cassandra (the previous rescue here) she has also ingested several fishing hooks. The Turtle Hospital and The Outdoor Resort are teaming up to alert the public to the dangers of discarded fishing gear by posting educational signage around the area. We hope this will help to ensure the safety of sea turtle in this area.
This year Bahia Honda State Park had the pleasure of monitoring the only documented Hawksbill sea turtle nest in the state of Florida! The first documented Hawksbill nest at Bahia Honda occurred in 2000. These turtles, once hunted for their beautiful shells, are a critically endangered species. On August 18th a female Hawksbill chose a small patch of sand behind a mangrove, very close to the parking lot and on the most populated section of beach to nest! The park rangers built a special pathway so that when the nest hatched the babies would be guided towards the ocean and away from the parking lot. 54 days later on a beautiful Sunday afternoon the first of these hatchlings began to emerge! There was much excitement as visitors and park rangers gathered to witness this amazing and unusual day hatchling. Although hatchlings typically emerge at night, occasionally a few will emerge during the day. Over the next couple of days, approximately 70 hatchlings emerged from the nest. A few weak turtles were found at the bottom of the nest and brought to The Turtle Hospital for monitoring. On October 30th, a second nest emerged and 17 more Hawksbill hatchlings were brought in. These baby turtles will stay at the hospital until they are healthy and eating before being released back into the ocean.
(Pictured above: Green hatchling on the left, Hawksbill on the right)
In addition to the Hawksbill nests, Bahia Honda State Park became the nesting ground for a female Green sea turtle. This was the first documented Green sea turtle nest at Bahia Honda and only the second Green sea turtle nest documented on the main line Florida Keys. During the week of October 12th, the nest hatched and all but two babies emerged and made it to the ocean. These two turtles spent two short weeks at The Turtle Hospital before they were ready to go home! On October 26th, staff released the hatchlings offshore of Marathon into the Sargassum Weedline.
Westy, a local Key West resident, races Paddleboards and for the 2nd year in a row, he’s racing for Sea Turtles! Westy entered the 22 mile C to C Paddleboard race off of Coco Beach Florida. He collected donations from family, friends and businesses in an effort to help The Turtle Hospital. On November 1st, he met with Turtle Hospital staff and Director Richie Moretti to donate more than $1,000! We would like to extend a special thank you to Westy for continuing his support of our efforts to rescue, rehabilitate and release these amazing endangered Sea Turtles. We would also like to thank the donors including Key West Paddleboard Classics Inc, Fury Watersports and the friends and family of Westy who contributed to his cause. Thank you!
On May 28th, a Loggerhead sea turtle named Wham was custom fit with a satellite tag to record her migration route through the
Image Courtesy of Mote Marine Laboratory
On Monday,
Wham is now receiving antibiotics, squid breakfasts, and TLC at The Turtle Hospital and a full recovery is expected.Wham is also receiving notoriety in our local papers.
To read more on Wham’s story published in the Keynoter click here: http://www.keysnet.com/news/story/135066.html
To read more on Wham’s story published in the Citizen click here: http://keysnews.com/node/16390
*UPDATE September 7th 2009:
Wham underwent surgery on September 1st to amputate what remained of her severely damaged right front flipper. Dr. Mader (
UPDATE: November 4th 2009:
Wham is ready for release! The amputation of her right front flipper has healed and Wham is antsy to prove she’s ready to go home! Wham will be released on Tuesday, November 10th at The Dry Tortugas National Park where she was rescued. Wham will return back to The Tortugas on board the Yankee Freedom, a large ferry boat from Key West that makes daily trips out to The Tortugas. As an added excitment to her release, Wham’s satellite transmitter is still operational, and Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota should be able to continue tracking her as soon as she hits the water!
UPDATE November 14th 2009:
Wham was released November 14th at The Dry Tortugas National Park. After only a few short months of rehabilitation, Wham was driven to Key West where she boarded the Yankee Freedom, a ferry boat from Key West, to return to the Dry Tortugas where she was rescued. Turtle Hospital Director Richie Moretti, Rehabilitation Specialist Andy Dobrowolski, Helicopter Pilot Guy Favart (Air Man Helicopter) and Tom True (EV Parts) released Wham off the beach at Garden Key. With many well-wishers from the Park Employee’s and visitors crowding the beach to say goodbye, she was carried to the water and released back into the ocean. Despite the amputation, she swam in a straight line as soon as she hit the water, not looking back! Wham was more than ready to go home. http://www.seaturtle.org
Wham’s satellite transmitter is still functional and the public can continue to view her track here: http://www.seaturtle.org/tracking/index.shtml?tag_id=94922&dyn=1258753431
Photo Courtesy of Kayla Nimmo (Biologist Technician Dry Tortugas National Park)
A good Samaritan fisherman was in the American Shoals area (offshore from Cudjoe Key) when he saw a turtle towing several floats and struggling to dive. The FWC was notified and Sue Schaf (sea turtle biologist) coordinated a rescue effort.
A FWC officer picked up the rescue team at a marina and headed out to the area where the turtle was last seen. With help from the fisherman, the turtle was located, netted and brought aboard the FWC boat where the net and lines were removed.
The 230 pound adult Green was tightly entangled in a drift net, two lobster trap lines / floats and a 6 foot piece of bamboo. The net had cut into the marginal scutes and the bases of the front flippers.
Mitchell (the turtle, named for it’s rescuer) was transported to the Turtle Hospital where it will receive wound care and antibiotics.
UPDATE November 7th:
Mitchell was released November 6th! The Turtle Hospital holds an annual Sea Turtle Workshop at our facility in Marathon Florida. More than 100 biologists, veterinarians, students and specialists attended this year. In addition to hosting lectures and labs, on the eve of the final day of the conference Dr. Stacy and Dr. Ellis assisted Turtle Hospital administrator Ryan Butts and Rehabilitation Specialist Andy Dobrowolski in returning Mitchell back into his ocean home.
