Transporting turtles
Update from Releasing a sea turtle, Turtle surgery, Saving sea turtles I said goodbye to everyone at Gumbo Limbo and headed north about an hour to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Dr. Mette was doing a flipper amputation on a loggerhead and I was able to see the removal of a badly damaged flipper. This poor turtle was hit by a boat propeller and got osteomyelitis--fancy word to say bone infection. These infections are very hard to clear up, especially if they are so wide spread as this poor turtles was.
After the surgery, I got a great tour of the facilities, which was also packed with the cold-stunned turtles. They had to put two turtles to a tank, which is usually not done with loggerhead because they don't like to share tanks. They have large windows looking into the hospital so people can watch what is going on.
We had a few crowds while doing surgery. We then had to wait for this big loggerhead to wake up!
Meanwhile we brought in another larger loggerhead on a gurney-- they are too big and heavy to just carry. We had to strap him in with belts to prevent him trying to run away while in transport!
The loggerhead woke up and we called it an evening. Time to head back to Boca Raton for the night!
Posted by Abbey Grobe, animal health
Whats going to happen to the loggerhead who lost its flipper?
Posted by: Alyssa | February 02, 2010 at 10:59 PM
Alyssa, thanks for your concern for the loggerhead. We've written to the veterinarian staff for an update. We'll keep you posted.
Posted by: Jay Geneske, web editor | February 03, 2010 at 12:12 PM
Alyssa, here's an update:
things are slowly going back to normal. we released 3 flippered turtles routinely. we typically put them thru an extensive physical therapy regimen after suture removal 6 weeks post up. (we turn the water flow so they are in a current and increase the time each week to build strength before release.) 3 flippered turtles are commonly seen nesting on the beach---a two flippered turtle --on opposite sides--was once reported..dunno how she got up the beach but turtles are really amazing.
Posted by: Nancy Mettee | February 05, 2010 at 04:44 PM
Will any of the severely injured turtles come to Shedd or other AZA institutions??
Posted by: Joe D. | February 07, 2010 at 02:41 PM
Thanks for the update. I guess losing flippers is a somewhat common occurence for sea turtles. I'm glad they work up their endurance before releasing them. I have tortoises and I know they are very stubborn and determined animals so I bet the sea turtles are too.I hope everything goes ok with them and I hope everyone on the team keeps up the great work.
Posted by: Alyssa | February 08, 2010 at 01:45 AM