The Turtle Hospital had 56 new sea turtle patients in 2012, lower than their average of 70. Greens were the most common species admitted. They also treated 88 hatchlings, mostly loggerheads. The majority of patients were juveniles, reflecting trends in fibropapilloma virus and boat strikes. Human impacts like pollution, boats, and fishing were the primary causes of injuries and illnesses. With rehabilitation, around 70% of patients are typically released, helping sea turtle populations survive.

1. The Turtle Hospital’s Online Archive, Articles by Stacey Venzel
Final Numbers of 2012
January 3, 2013
2013 is upon us, and with its arrival come our final counts over the past year. Tallying up the
numbers, we had a total of 56 new patients in 2012 including 8 transfers. Considering the
average annual intake is 70 sea turtles, we were pretty happy having only 56!
Greens dominated this year in hospital admittance. These totals are separate from hatchlings.
Our hatchling total was up to 88 this year, largely skewed by a lighting disorientation at the
Truman Naval Air Station in Key West, FL, which brought us 31 Loggerhead hatchlings to
rehabilitate and release. We were surprised to admit 5 Hawksbill hatchlings, as these babies
come in much less often, sometimes without any coming in at all in a nesting season. Those 5
baby sea turtles must have come from unmarked Hawksbill nests on remote islands in the Keys,
as they floated back into marinas before the one known Hawksbill nest in the Keys hatched. All
of the Green hatchlings were rescued by FWC in the islands of the Marquesas.

2. Loggerheads commonly nest in Florida and the Florida Keys, so we were not surprised that the
majority of our hatchlings were of this species.
When we looked at our new arrivals by age category (excluding hatchlings), the majority of our
patients were classified as juveniles. This isn’t surprising considering we get so many green sea
turtles with the FP virus, and the virus characteristically attacks juvenile Greens returning to near
shore waters after their beginning, pelagic life stage at sea.
The juvenile age class took home the grand prize for most intakes in 2012.
Anthropogenic–or, human-related–causes for rehabilitation were overwhelmingly
prominent. Following with our yearly trends, FP cases topped the charts. (Remember, the
fibropapilloma virus is linked to water pollution!) Boat hits followed with entanglements in a
close third. We are still rehabilitating an adult Loggerhead that came in with 4 fishing hooks
inside of him resulting in a case of lockjaw. Many more turtles suffered from impactions which
is commonly linked to overfishing of local food sources. And, we cannot overlook the fact that a
vast number of our patients were admitted with multiple human-related ailments.

3. The normal rate of release in rehab facilities for other animals is only 25%. Sea turtles are
beating those odds every day… and every year if they’re FP turtles!
Despite the rough shape our patients arrive in, sea turtles have an amazing ability to heal
themselves. With help from the Rehab team, those that spend more than 24 hours in our care
have roughly a 70% chance at being released. Most of the non-releasable turtles are ones that
have to become permanent residents due to buoyancy issues from boat strikes, or FP turtles that
sadly have to be euthanized due to internal tumors. Keep in mind that a lot of our patients have
to complete 1-year free of tumors before being eligible for release, which means they might have
arrived in 2012 but won’t get released until 2013! Subsequently, these turtles are still in
rehab. Conversely, we had 3 turtles arrive in 2011 that completed their tumor-free year and were
released in 2012! Hurray!
These numbers remind us how important rehabilitation is for the conservation of sea turtles. One
sea turtle release could spring an entire generation of sea turtles in due time. Every individual
that makes it back into the wild is helping its species survive. And those that cannot survive at
sea but have to remain in human care are also very important, acting as ambassadors for their
ocean friends!
Rudy—the Next Comeback Kid!
December 30, 2012
Weighing in at 133 pounds, sub-adult Loggerhead “Rudy” brings our turtle total to 28! Rescued
by the Collopy family of Chicago, Matt and Aileen were out on the water with family when they
noticed a big floating turtle. After talking with Rehabilitation Technician Stacey Venzel and
Education Specialist Teresa Ryan, they were able to pull the heavy load onto the outboard,
restrain the lethargic guy and slowly head in to Point Charles. Stacey was dispatched to fight
holiday traffic and make the turtle rescue up in Key Largo. A workman’s dolly was employed to
transport Rudy from the dock to The Turtle Hospital ambulance. “Rudy” was named by the

4. Collopy children to honor the Notre Dame football player who made a comeback after a
devastating injury. We’re all hoping Rudy the turtle will do the same!
As suspected, x-rays show Rudy is heavily impacted with shell material producing an abundance
of gas which caused the turtle to float. Loggerheads feed on shelled organisms like crab, lobster
and conch, but when their food items become scarce–largely due to overfishing–they feed on
smaller shelled organisms. The reduced shell size unfortunately can cause this replacement food
source to form a blockage in the intestines. But Beano and lactulose are our best friends! Along
with fluids, iron injections and antibiotics, we hope to see a full recovery.
We are very grateful to the Collopy family for being so caring, especially during the holiday
season!
Merry Christmas from The Turtle Hospital!
December 25, 2012
If sea turtles had vocal chords, they would be singing you Christmas carols today! But,
thankfully, they are excellent writers. (It’s amazing to watch those flippers fly across the
keyboard!) To celebrate the holidays, they’ve put together a Christmas poem for you. Yes,
YOU! Because they are so thankful that they can depend on you to spread the word about sea
turtles!
Splashing through the pool
With healed flippers everywhere
Wishing you a Happy Yule
So thankful that you care!
When we hear the dinner bell ring
Or get all the medicine that we need
It simply makes us want to sing
Thank you for your good deeds!
Because if it weren’t for people like you
There’d be no lettuce clips for filling
We’d have no toys to meander through
How could we keep up with all the billing?
But thanks to your visits and your donations
We are happy, healing guys and gals
So here’s to a Christmas celebration
To thank our donors and pen pals!

5. The sea turtles at The Turtle Hospital sincerely hope you enjoyed their Christmas song. And
from all our patients and staff, we wish you a very Merry Christmas!
Rescue, Surgery, Therapy and MRIs!
December 20, 2012
This holiday season has involved a lot of turtle procedures at The Turtle Hospital:
Seven days before Christmas, Burt and Kaleb brought to us… a turtle with fibropapillomas!
Fourteen days before Christmas, little Timmy had surgery… to remove shards of plastic debris!
Nineteen days before Christmas, Daisy had some radiology… where we learned more about her
brain’s biology!
Six days before Christmas, Dr. Gerri used a cold laser… to reduce swelling on Dash’s flipper!
Have a Turtle Christmas—ADOPT!
December 13, 2012
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… to ADOPT A SEA TURTLE! The five permanent
residents that will spend the rest of their lives at The Turtle Hospital can be sponsored for a $35
annual fee. And what better time to show you care than during the Christmas season?
The adoption fee helps to cover the cost of the turtle’s care throughout their lifetime. For many
of these Main Pool veterans, this care includes maintenance of their weight system. Most of our
non-releasable turtles have been hit by boats, and while permanent internal buoyancy issues
prevent them from survival in the wild, the air bubbles trapped in their shell can be “neutralized”
by attaching weights to the shell.
Additional costs of living for these turtles include medical supplies for annual physicals, tools for
habitat maintenance and-every turtle’s personal favorite-FOOD! It costs an average of $5,000 to
take care of one current patient at our hospital, so imagine how much it costs to keep up with
these turtles for a lifetime!
The five turtles that can be adopted are:
 Rebel, a boat hit Loggerhead
 Bender, a boat hit and entanglement Kemp’s Ridley
 Bubble Butt, a boat hit Green
 April, an FP blind Green
 Montel, a boat hit/entanglement/shark attack/FP Green

6. Give the gift of sea turtle adoption this Christmas! Click on the “How You Can Help” tab and
“Adopt-a-Turtle” for more info. You can adopt online at www.TurtleHospitalStore.com.
Have a very merry holiday season from the staff and turtles at The Turtle Hospital!
2012 Sea Turtle Workshop a Success!
December 5, 2012
The Turtle Hospital and sea turtle professionals from around the globe kicked off the start of
December with a weekend dedicated solely to sea turtles. For the 20th year, The Turtle Hospital
hosted the annual Florida Keys Sea Turtle Workshop, spanning December 2-4. Representatives
from sea turtle conservation organizations in the fields of research, rehabilitation and education
came together to share knowledge gleaned over the past year regarding these ancient creatures.
Reconnecting with colleagues, numerous groups were represented during a day-long symposium
filled with detailed presentations and discussions spanning all realms of the conservation
field. Information covered topics such as wound care, sea turtle therapy, nutrition,
fibropapilloma and anemia case studies, hatchling care, PIT tagging, anatomy, blood
chemistry, interesting patient cases, anthropogenic injuries and distance learning. The Turtle
Hospital was represented by our very own veterinarian, Dr. Doug Mader, and Rehabilitation
Specialists Stacey Venzel and Marie Simpson who individually took the podium to share work in
their profession over the past year. Other organizations that presented included NOAA, FWC,
Florida Atlantic University, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Mote Marine Laboratory, University of
Florida, Miami Seaquarium, Gumbo Limbo, WIDECAST, South Carolina Aquarium, Marathon
Veterinary Hospital and University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
The 119 participants in the weekend’s successful event came from all over the state of Florida as
well as up and down the U.S. east coast. Fellow sea turtle enthusiasts even made the long trip
from faraway places like Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Venezuela and the small island of
Bonaire.
A silent auction was held throughout the day on Saturday to raise money for WIDECAST–the
Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Network. Items were donated by the many conservation
organizations present at the event. Total earnings reached approximately $1,500–all going
directly back to sea turtle conservation!
The final day of the workshop consisted of two labs–a “wet” and a “dry” lab. Dr. Brian Stacy of
the University of Florida led a hands-on necropsy lab, with Dr. Doug Mader assisting. He began
with an overview of necropsy techniques which was followed up by attendees teaming together
to necropsy individual turtles. A total of 10 sea turtle necropsies were performed on Sunday
over a span of 3 hours. An interesting and yet unidentified parasite was found in the GI tract of a
DOA juvenile green. Samples were kept at The Turtle Hospital as well as sent back to UF with
Dr. Stacy. One juvenile green was riddled with internal fibropapilloma tumors as small as
marbles and as large as oranges! For many turtles, the cause of death was determined to be
aspiration, while other CODs were linked to emaciation. Necropsies allow professionals to

7. quantify the human versus natural causes of death for wildlife, as well as to better understand the
anatomy of these amazing, mystifying creatures.
The “dry” lab was led by Dr. Jeanette Wyneken of FAU. A renowned expert on sea turtle
anatomy, Dr. Wyneken’s lecture introduced novice and advanced participants to the inner
workings of sea turtles. She also discussed surgery methods in sea turtles. A printable copy
of Dr. Wyneken’s sea turtle anatomy book is even available free of charge online.
Wrapping up the conference, The Turtle Hospital and the weekend’s attendees were
exceptionally pleased with the caliber of presentations, labs and camaraderie. A special thanks
to Save-a-Turtle for once again sponsoring a BBQ, reminding us that it’s not all work–scientists
get to have fun, too!
The 2012 Florida Keys Sea Turtle Workshop would not have been possible without our
dedicated staff, each of which put in more than 40 hours on the clock, plus additional hours of
volunteering.
Greens Galore!
November 15, 2012
A steady flow of juvenile green turtle patients have been admitted to The Turtle Hospital of
late. Five newbies are currently undergoing care by the Rehab staff. In addition to the two
greens that arrived on Saturday–”Duke” and “Mae”–two greens with the fibropapilloma virus
were transferred to our facility yesterday due to limited space at Gumbo Limbo. “Jeff” and
“Shiny” (previously nicknamed ”Vann”) both are riddled with external tumors. Weakened states
of FP turtles often make them prone to other ailments. Shiny is healing from an old boat hit
across her lateral scutes, while Jeff is being treated for superficial wounds from a shark attack.
Just when we thought the green invasion was coming to a close, another one surprised us this
morning. “Chip” also has a heavy load of tumors.
All 4 of the FP turtles are awaiting endoscope exams, provided they remain strong enough to
undergo the sedation. Duke is the only new patient that does not have tumors, but is being
treated for an impaction due to a boat strike. Mae remains in critical condition with around the
clock care on an IV drip in our ICU/Emergency Room.
Many thanks to all of those involved in the rescue process for these turtles!
Washback Hatchlings Released!
November 15, 2012
Five hatchlings rescued from marinas in the month of November were released yesterday into a
weedline in the Gulf Stream. It seems every time we think we’re done with hatchlings, another
arrives! (So, I won’t go as far as to say the rehab season has ended for hatchlings, because we
seem to be getting “surprise hatchlings” every week!)

8. Our most recent hatchling, a hawksbill, was rescued from a narrow marina up in Key
Largo. Numerous other hatchlings were also in the marina, but, unfortunately, crocodiles
prevented a safe rescue of any others. Covered in algae, the little turtle was cleaned and given a
swim test, which he passed with flying colors! The 4 hawksbill hatchlings and 1 green
hatchling were self-feeding and strong enough for release. Hopefully, they’ll spend the next 3-5
years of their lives in the Gulf Stream, avoiding predators and conserving energy until they’re
big and strong for the wide open blue!
“Fitzy” Gets Rescuedin Grassy Key
November 1, 2012
Our newest fibropapilloma patient arrived late this morning after a spotting of the lethargic turtle
by locals Kevin and Peggy and their out-of-town friends Pat and Trudy. The ladies kept an eye
on the juvenile green until Rehabber Stacey Venzel arrived in The Turtle Hospital ambulance. A
big shout out to Kevin and Pat who aided in the snorkeling rescue! ”Fitzy”–or, if you prefer,
“Fitz” for short–now shares a nickname with Pat Fitzgerald of the rescue family.
Fitzy has a heavy load of tumors, including coverage on both eyes, and has critically low blood
chemistry. The Turtle Hospital is responding with hourly care as needed, hoping that some
fluids, medicine and TLC will help Fitzy regain the strength needed for a future endoscope
exam. We hope this green turtle does not have internal tumors, and that our veterinarian’s
expertise can save the turtle’s eyes for a full recovery!
Special thanks to the Taylor and Fitzergald couples for being so caring and attentive! We
wouldn’t be able to help sea turtles get better if it weren’t for people like them!
Fiesta’s Release is Well-Attended
October 27, 2012
Members of The Turtle Hospital staff weren’t the only ones present at Fiesta’s release last
Saturday from Higg’s Beach in Key West. More than 100 well-wishers attended the public
release. Fiesta was lowered into the water by local politician Mario Degenero, Congressman
David Rivera and Miss Florida–the veterinarian at Harbor Branch–along with representatives
from Save-a-Turtle and The Turtle Hospital. Fiesta’s release neared the culmination of a week-
long conservation and art outreach project by The Wyland Foundation, with the last 4 days spent
repainting a 3-D wall mural in Key West.
With 2 clearly visible linear prop wounds across her carapace, Fiesta was fully healed and eager
to head home. Months of deep wound care allowed for healthy scar tissue to fill in the gashes
along the back of her shell. Fiesta’s well-attended release shows how much hope there is for the
turtle world and saving our oceans and marine life at large. We can help Fiesta and other sea
turtles avoid future boat hits by being vigilant on the waters and obeying boating regulations.
Fisher Meets Wyland
October 25, 2012

9. Renowned artist, muralist and activist of marine life Wyland made his way through the Florida
Keys last week to restore iconic murals in Key Largo, Marathon and Key West. As usual, The
Turtle Hospital didn’t miss an opportunity to educate the public on endangered sea turtles, and
our educational loggerhead “Fisher” made appearances to engage kids and adults in sea turtle
awareness.
Turtle Hospital founder Richie Moretti has known Wyland for years, as the artist has some
domestic roots here in the Keys. Mandy Rodriguez, executive president of the Dolphin Research
Center, also teamed up with Moretti and Wyland at the Marathon mural restoration. They
delivered a passionate dedication of the touched-up mural to the mayor and Keys residents.
Running along the front brick wall of the Marathon K-Mart, the painting is now complete with
the addition of a loggerhead, inspired by none other than Fisher. A loggerhead sea turtle was
also added to the Key West mural after Fisher’s trip down south, where the turtle even “helped”
cut the ribbon during Sunday’s dedication ceremony. That mural was completely redone with a
new 3-D look!
Don’t Forget to Come to Fiesta’s Release!
October 18, 2012
The Turtle Hospital offers unique opportunities for the public to glimpse the end of the
rehabilitation process–and, the most exciting! No matter how many releases we’ve done, each
one is beautiful and significant in its own way. “Fiesta” is an adult female loggerhead who
survived a boat hit and is now getting a second chance at life in the sea. Join us for her release
this Saturday, October 22, at 2:00 PM from Higg’s Beach in Key West.
Estimated to be anywhere between 40-50 years old, Fiesta’s still got half a century to
live! Female loggerheads will lay nests every 2-3 years once sexually mature and will continue
to do so for the remainder of their lives. They lay an average of 3 clutches per season, with
about 125 eggs in each clutch. That means Fiesta could still lay more than 9,000 eggs in her
lifetime. If just 1% of those eggs hatched, we’d still be adding close to 100 sea turtles to the next
generation! So, hats off to Fiesta and sea turtle rehab–which wouldn’t be possible without
people like YOU. When it comes to species survival, each sea turtle really can make a
difference!
Watch Finn Swim
October 18, 2012
Our “One Flipper Wonder” is quite the survivor, and her rehab story is one typical of sea turtles
involving determination, adaptation and resilience. What better way to learn of Finn’s
maneuvering capabilities than to watch the turtle in action? Click here to watch a video of Finn
swimming, diving and foraging. At about 1 year old, and having been at The Turtle Hospital for
half that time, Finn continues to inspire many visitors around the world who have learned of her
fighting spirit!
Join Us for Fiesta’s Release!

10. October 16, 2012
Come wave good-bye to 200-lb loggerhead “Fiesta” on Saturday, October 20, from Higg’s
Beach in Key West at 2:00 PM. Fiesta was rescued in June by the Florida Fish & Wildlife
Commission and NOAA during at-sea research of the Keys’ loggerhead population and
health. She suffered severe dual prop wounds along her mid-vertebral scutes. After months of
deep wound care and broad spectrum antibiotics, healthy scar tissue has filled in the wounds so
that she can be free of potential infection. Now fully recovered, diving well and enjoying
hunting for the occasional lobster treat, she is ready to be back in her ocean home!
Higg’s Beach is located at 1000 Atlantic Blvd, Key West, behind Salute restaurant.
Stella Gets a Harness
October 13, 2012
After nearly 2 months at our hospital since her admittance, “Stella,” a 200-lb adult female Green
sea turtle, continues to have buoyancy issues likely due to a past bout of pneumonia. Previously
on our website, we posted video footage of Stella’s bronchoscope (or, lung endoscope), which
very clearly showed that one of the bronchial tubes to the lungs is significantly smaller than the
other. We believe this is the main cause of Stella’s listing behavior. In order to ease the turtle’s
struggle to swim linearly, we modified a weight belt to make a “floatie harness” for
Stella. Instead of acting as a temporary weight belt as it did for our big 330-lb permanent
resident, O.D., the belt pockets house foam blocks. Hopefully, with the right amount of foam,
we can make this turtle’s stay in rehab a more peaceful, relaxing ordeal. Whether or not Stella
will have a full recovery is still up in the air at this point in time. Her treatment plan will
continue with antibiotics to fight off infection as we hope for the best.
23 Hatchlings Released!
October 4, 2012
After varying lengths of stay at The Turtle Hospital, a total of 23 rescued hatchlings were
released yesterday directly into the Gulf Stream. This time around, staff member Bruce
participated in the release. All of our 19 green baby turtles and 4 loggerhead babies are now
floating along in the jet stream, where they will spend the next few years camouflaging from
predators in beds of Sargassum seaweed.
“Good Hope” the Sea Turtle Dies
October 2, 2012
The Turtle Hospital is sad to report the passing away of our sea turtle patient, ”Good Hope,” a
pregnant hawksbill airlifted for treatment from St. Croix exactly one month ago.
Good Hope’s passing came as a surprise to hospital staff. She was scheduled for surgery by Dr.
Mader this morning, a procedure that would have attempted to repair her swollen and torn
eyelids. Weekly improvements since her arrival in critical condition on September 1 suggested

11. the odds were looking up for this patient. However, we continued to note the severity of her
overall condition, including the abnormal egg-laying behavior.
A necropsy revealed a heavy amount of sand inside the turtle’s lungs. While Good Hope seemed
to be responding to antibiotics and physical therapy, there would have been no way to remove
the sand. Likely, the sediment accumulated while the turtle struggled to go ashore around the
time of Tropical Storm Isaac, preventing her from successfully nesting. Enlarged
lungs also indicated she had not yet recovered from a bout of pneumonia. Additionally, the eyes
were deemed unsalvageable meaning, as a blind sea turtle, Good Hope would not have been able
to survive in the wild.
Prior to this morning’s necropsy, all of Good Hope’s remaining eggs were harvested. Having
laid 61 viable eggs, 58 were removed from the mother for incubation. That brings our total
number of incubating eggs to 119. The fertility of the eggs is unknown at this point, but, once
again, we remain hopeful and optimistic here at The Turtle Hospital. In 2 months, we may be
airlifting a generation of baby Good Hopes back to Good Hope Beach in St. Croix. Only time
will tell.
Fisher & Finn are Growing Up!
September 28, 2012
Our smallest loggerhead turtles, Fisher and Finn, have matured quite a bit since their admittance
to our hospital. Fisher arrived as a small post-hatchling. She is our education turtle and is part
of a Head Start program after having been a participant in a sea turtle sex ratio study by
FAU. We celebrated her first birthday just last month. On the other hand, Finn arrived in need
of treatment back in April of this year. Though we don’t know for sure whether Finn is a male
or female, most of our Rehab and Education staff is inclined to think this turtle has a feminine
personality. Despite having only one fully functional flipper–the others just nubs from a
predator attack–Finn has proven that she will have a good quality of life, even if she must remain
in human care in the future. She has taught herself to dive, forage and rest on the bottom.
These two turtles are a favorite for many of the visitors to our hospital. Fisher’s obsession with
her square PVC toy ceaselessly entertains, while Finn’s determination to swim is inspirational to
many.
Come visit The Turtle Hospital to see loggerheads at this rare age! Not much is known about
loggerhead post-hatchlings and young juveniles as they typically spend the first 3-5 years of their
lives in the Gulf Stream. By maintaining medical files, noting behavioral observations and
keeping growth logs, we are gaining a lot of scientific information that is not well-known in the
sea turtle world.
“Good Hope” Update with Egg Info
September 21, 2012

12. Not too much has changed in Good Hope’s condition since her last update, but she has laid a
couple more eggs, bringing the total to 55. An x-ray on Wednesday also suggested that
additional eggs are forming inside of the pregnant hawksbill!
Female sea turtles are able to hold the male’s sperm for several months. This allows them to lay
multiple clutches over the course of a nesting season, as they only have one “receptive” period
per season. Females can also mate with more than one male during this mating session, and
studies have shown this can sometimes result in a nest with multiple-paternity (though this varies
between species).
One clutch laid by a hawksbill can have as many as 150 eggs at time! What is unusual and
unnatural about Good Hope’s egg laying process is her refusal to lay an entire clutch at
once. Rather, she continues to lay a few eggs one day, a couple eggs the next, and sometimes
none at all. This turtle is definitely full of surprises and keeps us on our toes! We are continuing
to collect any deposited eggs to incubate them with the hope that they hatch in two months. But,
first and foremost on our minds is Good Hope’s survival! She is slowly gaining back her sea
turtle strength!
Record Breaking Tumor!
September 21, 2012
Jimbo’s jumbo pap was removed today after an endoscope (click to view footage!) revealed
healthy internal organs–and, surprise!, he’s a boy! The tumor weighed more than 3 pounds!
Previously, the largest tumor The Turtle Hospital had ever removed weighed 535 grams. That
tumor had been hanging off of the rear flipper of S.A.S, a juvenile green. S.A.S. was released in
May of this year. In comparison, Jimbo’s tumor wins first prize at a whopping 1431 grams. A
second surgery will be required to remove smaller tumor growths as well as to clean up the
surgery site of the large mass that was lasered off this morning.
Additional turtle patients–of varying sizes–went through our operating room yesterday. Hunter
had an endoscope performed in an attempt to extract the 2 remaining hooks from inside the
esophagus. Because the hooks are so heavily embedded, only half of one was able to be taken
out, and one still remains deep inside a front flipper.
Over time, these hooks should degrade (as they are the “cheap” kind, not made of stainless steel)
but Hunter will have to stay on antibiotics until he is no longer vulnerable to infection. The lump
on the top of his neck was also removed and is being sent out for a biopsy.
On a smaller note, tiny Timmy underwent surgery again this week. An endoscope on Monday
checked for internal paps. Finding none, we did discover a sharp, green, foreign object in the
turtle’s intestines. Laser surgery of the external paps was postponed from Monday to yesterday
with the hope that we could remove the debris. Unfortunately, Timmy’s small size and
the delicate position of the object in the GI would call for too invasive of a surgery, one that
would be detrimental to her health. (Yes, that’s right–”Timmy” is a girl!) We were able to zap
off the eye tumors at this time. For now, Timmy’s diet will consist of a fair amount of lactulose
as the Rehab team strives to ease nature’s role in passing the garbage out of the turtle’s

13. system. At this point, we can only hope that the trash will exit safely, without perforating any
intestinal lining!
“Jimbo” & the Jumbo Pap
September 19, 2012
When the Rehab team assessed “Jimbo” upon intake, it was apparent that this 65-lb juvenile
green had fallen victim to the fibropapilloma virus. A very large tumor protrudes from the
topside of Jimbo’s right front flipper–so large a tumor that one could easily overlook the fact that
the turtle is missing the other flipper! A left front “nub” has old wounds suggestive of a past
entanglement. Luckily, FP seems to be the only ailment requiring treatment. With plans to
scope the turtle for signs of internal tumors, we’re crossing our fingers that Jimbo’s insides are
pap-free! If so, we will move ahead with the laser surgery to remove any external tumors. It
will be interesting to get a new weight on the turtle once this mammoth of a tumor has been
removed!
Jimbo was not the first turtle to be rescued by Ricou Deshaw. Found in shallow water near the
south end of the 7-mile Bridge, Mr. Deshaw’s most recent rescue was a loggerhead named
“Elliot” from waters surrounding Tavernier. Deshaw had been at-sea filming a “flats fishing
show” with Charlie Ward. We are extremely grateful to these islanders for remaining ever-
vigilant on the water, and taking time out of their day of fishing (and filming!) to save a sea
turtle. Our work would be non-existent without Good Samaritans like them! Hopefully, humans
can also do their part to be wary of chemical waste put into the oceans as the FP virus has been
linked to water pollution!
“Hook” Transfers Hospitals
September 19, 2012
Over the weekend, The Turtle Hospital welcomed another juvenile green sea turtle to our list of
current patients. Transferred from Miami Seaquarium’s rehabilitation facility, Hook had been
admitted initially for a flipper wound due, as you might guess, to a fishing hook having been
forcefully ripped out. All healed up, the green developed FP tumors while recovering. Likely,
he contracted the virus while at sea but the latent symptoms took some time to visualize. Miami
Seaquarium was able to remove the small growths until more grew, this time appearing on the
eyes, a tricky location for FP removal surgeries. Hook was transported to The Turtle Hospital
where our reptilian expert, veterinarian Dr. Doug Mader, will perform laser surgery. An
endoscope on Monday confirmed that Hook does not have internal tumors, and we can therefore
move forward with the procedure to remove external tumors.
Casting Contest to Benefit Turtle Hospital
September 18, 2012
Join us at Sparky’s 7 Mile Marina this Thursday from 6-8 PM for a casting contest! All of the
proceeds will be donated to The Turtle Hospital. If you’ve got skill, you may even leave with a
prize! Captain Spider of the 7 Mile Marina hosts a casting contest every Thursday for local non-

14. profit organizations. So stop on by, toss out a line, have some fun, and save a turtle while you’re
at it!
15 Eggs for “Good Hope”
September 18, 2012
The number 7 seems to be Good Hope’s new lucky number. Previously showing a trend of
laying eggs in sets of 3, she has laid 15 eggs over the past two days, a lone egg and then twice
laying 7 eggs at a time. This brings her total number of passed eggs to 53. Remember, it will
take roughly 2 months for these eggs to hatch if any of them are viable. It’s all a waiting game in
the meantime! But the good news is, Good Hope continues to show improvement. Her activity
level has increased ever so slightly as we continue with tube feeding, physical therapy and
medical treatment.
“Good Hope” Takes Her Vitamins
September 15, 2012
Dr. Doug Mader was in today to assess Good Hope’s condition. The critically endangered,
pregnant hawksbill from St. Croix is now set to receive doses of Vitamin B and C throughout the
week. Though we are trying to keep external physical stressors from inhibiting Good Hope’s
recovery process, her body is still in a lot of physical stress due to the wounds and infections as
well as the demanding load of eggs inside her that require their own nutrition. Vitamin B will
replenish some of those nutrients that are more quickly used up during periods of high
stress. Vitamin C will boost the turtle’s immune system to aid in the healing process. So for all
those little kids out there following Good Hope’s progress, remember: Good Hope takes her
vitamins, and you should, too!
Up to now, she has laid 38 eggs of which 32 are incubating as potentially viable.
Daisy Gets Some Calories
September 14, 2012
Little juvenile green “Daisy” began getting tube fed today. Having progressed from a mister to
shallow water, she is still not actively eating on her own. A few bites of lettuce here and there
won’t cut it, so we started the tubing process to ensure that she is receiving an adequate intake of
calories. Pedialyte and “turtle chow” mushed together goes down the esophagus like gruel,
beginning the digestive process in the stomach. As her medicinal regimen continues and her
energy strengthens, we believe we’ll see even less flipper tremors.
Some Physical Therapy for “Good Hope”
September 13, 2012
The latest news update for “Good Hope” is somewhat positive, as she appears to be, ever
so slowly, on the upswing. Again, her condition remains critical and we do not want to jump to
conclusions, but optimism is important in a rehab environment! No eggs have been laid since
the last 3 on September 6. In the meantime, we have begun physical therapy sessions to stretch

15. the flippers and stimulate swimming. Slight movements of the front and rear flippers inside her
rehab tank suggest she is gaining a bit of energy back. The new wound gel is also helping her
flippers to heal faster, though it will still take a long time before she and her wounds are in the
clear. Nevertheless, a onceover might suggest that she is, at the very least, feeling a bit
better. Maybe down the road we’ll be seeing her act as her typical hawksbill self!
Hatchling Video!
September 12, 2012
Check out our adorable green and loggerhead hatchlings in their rehab tanks by clicking
here. Be sure to note the frenzied behavior of the green hatchling versus the more laid back
behavior typical of loggerhead hatchlings.
The green hatchling featured in this video is about 1-week old whereas the loggerhead is over 1-
month old, still recovering from a broken flipper.
Staying Hopeful for “Good Hope”
September 11, 2012
To say that things have calmed down here at The Turtle Hospital would be an overstatement in
the very least. While “Good Hope” does seem to be improving slightly, she is still receiving
continual care from the Rehab staff as we stay connected with experts in the sea turtle world
throughout her rehabilitation process.
On September 9, Good Hope laid 3 more eggs in her tank, but no more have been laid since
then. Even though her condition is improving, her progress is characterized by baby steps. Still
too weak to undergo a surgical procedure to remove the eggs, we are relying on nature at the
moment to allow those eggs to pass. As reptiles, sea turtles have extremely slow metabolisms
which increases the risk of complications during sedation or anesthesia even more so than for
mammals. Further, as marine reptiles, sea turtles are conscious or voluntary breathers–they have
to “think” to breathe, unlike humans. Thus, we have to breathe for them anytime they are put
under. Taking all of this into account, Good Hope is at an extremely high risk for surgery to
remove the eggs, considering her critical condition. Hopefully, these baby steps will all add up
in due time and somehow, via nature, labor induction or surgery, we’ll be able to get the eggs out
and get Good Hope back in the sea.
Our focus is 100% on Good Hope’s survival, though it would be nice for some of the eggs to
hatch successfully as well. We have begun to tube feed her so that she can receive the calories
necessary for wound healing. Additionally, we have switched from over-the-counter
supermarket honey to a wound care “super glue” called Bioadhesive gel. This helps to block out
bacteria as well as to allow healthy cells and tissue to granulate in.
Thank you to all of you who continue to keep Good Hope on your minds!
First Green Hatchlings of 2012!
September 11, 2012

16. On September 5, we received our first green hatchlings of the season! Having used up energy
fighting root entanglements back in the Marquesas, FWC transported the little greenies to The
Turtle Hospital to get some energy renewal before they begin the fight for their life at sea.
With most of our hatchling patients having been released the day before, we weren’t too
surprised that more arrived. That seems to be the way things go in the turtle world–one patient
goes out, another one or two come in! But it keeps things interesting, to say the least.
The 7 green hatchlings reside in a tank in a divided section between two loggerhead
hatchlings. On your visit to The Turtle Hospital, be sure to note the marked difference in activity
level among the two species–the greens are crazy!!
Rainbow Runner & 20 Hatchlings Released!
September 11, 2012
Rainbow Runner was more than ready for release on September 6 last week. With Tropical
Storm Isaac out of the way and a boat back in the water for the turtle’s transportation out to sea,
Rehabber Matt Brochhausen and Founder Richie Moretti waved goodbye to the juvenile Kemp’s
Ridley near the Gulf Stream. Additionally, 20 loggerhead hatchlings were released directly into
the jet stream, spaced out a couple miles apart. Matt was sure to land them directly in beds of
Sargassum seaweed to aid in immediate survival in the vast ocean. The hatchlings came from all
over beaches in the Keys, with their need for rehab including disorientation, root entanglements
and the occasional “late bloomer” sea turtle hatchlings requiring some TLC before meeting the
Deep Blue.
“Good Hope” at a Turtle’s Pace
September 9, 2012
Good Hope seems to be showing the Rehab staff that she will be doing things at her own
pace. Despite the two doses of Vasotocin administered on Friday, we did not see any eggs laid
throughout that day or night. However, just as the Rehab enclosure was getting closed down for
the night on Saturday, Rehabbers Matt Brochhausen and Stacey Venzel found 3 very white eggs
in Good Hope’s tank. As the turtle was in shallow salt water, the eggs were immediately—albeit
gently—rinsed in fresh water before being placed in an incubator. Another set of hourly check-
ups Saturday night, September 8, did not yield further results. Nevertheless, Good Hope’s
energy has ever so slightly improved. She continues to reside in a tank of shallow water, lifting
her head for clear breaths of air. The total count of laid eggs to date is 35, with 29 of these eggs
being potentially viable.
Founder Richie Moretti has been in the tank with her for the past two mornings offering the
turtle live crab and pieces of squid. Despite placement feeding, she does not appear to be
swallowing any food.
Good Hope has not eaten for weeks. While the slow metabolism of reptiles can allow sea turtles
to go months without eating, they will still get very weak from a lack of food. With improved

17. motion and circulation from current and future physical therapy sessions, Good Hope may gain
an appetite and the strength to swallow food. Unfortunately, much of her anticipated progress is
a waiting game, as, aforementioned, Good Hope likes to take baby steps and do so on her own
watch. We are reminding ourselves that patience is a virtue, and vigilance is of the utmost
importance so that we do not miss any advancement in Good Hope’s condition. She’s going to
have a long road ahead of her if she pulls through, so send some good thoughts Good Hope’s
way!
Labor Induced in “Good Hope”
September 8. 2012
Yesterday, September 7, was a very long day for Good Hope and the Rehab staff. We received
the highly anticipated two doses of Vasotocin, the reptilian drug for inducing labor. Good Hope’s
condition continued to worsen throughout the day and night, and the Rehab staff was wary of
losing her. Conferencing with numerous sea turtle experts including Dr. Jeanette Wyneken at
FAU, it was decided that we should follow through with the labor induction as some of the eggs
had begun to rot inside of the hawksbill.
The initial stages of preparation included putting together the “birthing table” which consisted of
a padded Boogie board resting atop a stack of cement blocks. Good Hope was shifted so that her
rear hung off the edge of the table. A bowl filled with sand from St. Croix was positioned to
catch and cradle any falling eggs.
A dose of calcium gluconate was administered one hour before the Vasotocin as the former drug
readies the uterus for labor. During this 1-hour “waiting” period, Rehabbers busied themselves
by pouring sand into Styrofoam egg incubators and setting up observation posts from outside and
within the tank.
The first contraction began about 45 minutes after the first dose of Vasotocin was given. At the
onset, contractions were about 1 minute apart, increasing to 30 seconds over a 2-hour period.
Unfortunately, by the 3-hour mark, her contractions weakened. A discussion with our
veterinarian, Dr. Doug Mader, ended with the decision to administer the second and last dose of
Vasotocin 6 hours later, around 8:45 PM.
Rehab staff remained with Good Hope during this time, continuing to record observations and
monitor any progress or decline in the turtle’s condition. Dr. Doug came in to examine the turtle
and gave her an injection and lubrication that would help to relax the muscles of the cloaca and
hopefully allow the eggs a better chance of passing through the egg canal.
Once the second dose of Vasotocin was administered, Rehab staff again settled in for around the
clock care well into the night hours. Lacking sufficient light in the enclosure to view and record
contractions, we switched on infra-red lighting with the hope of not disturbing the turtle’s labor
process. While the contractions did strengthen and close in to only 5 seconds apart, no eggs were
expelled last night.

18. Good Hope’s medical situation is complicated, and we are reaching out to the sea turtle world so
that we can give our patient and her eggs the best chance of survival. We hope to induce labor
again in a few days after more doses of Vasotocin have been ordered. Additionally, we will
likely re-locate the turtle to an area that has less noise and light disturbance.
Most species of sea turtles, hawksbills included, nest at night when disruption of the egg laying
process is least likely. That being said, the slightest noise disturbance, natural or unnatural, can
cause a contracting turtle to hold in her eggs and cease laboring. Our day and night attempts
heard the sounds of lawn mowers and helicopters as well as passers-by and other commotion, so
we are hoping to start again where silence can best be assured. Remember to check back
tomorrow for updates, and to keep hoping the “good hope!”
Watch Good Hope’s Eggs Get Incubated!
September 7, 2012
As of 5:45 PM today, September 7, Good Hope has laid a total of 25 eggs. We promised we’d
keep you posted with daily updates, and today’s info offers you footage of the egg incubation
process! Click here to watch the video. These ping-pong-sized balls must be placed delicately
in the makeshift nest and then covered with sand to mimic the natural process. In the wild, the
female will use her rear flippers to move sand overtop the eggs after she has dug her hole and
laid the clutch.
Hawksbills can have up to 150 eggs inside of them. An x-ray yesterday showed us that Good
Hope does have more eggs inside of her. We know she is very weak due to the fact that her
labor lasted multiple days instead of the couple hours typical of one clutch. Because of this
weakened state, it is extremely important that we get the remaining eggs out of her. Today, we
received the shipment of Vasotocin, the reptile-specific drug for labor induction. Check in
tomorrow for a report on how Good Hope responded to the injection! Though the turtle remains
in critical condition, we are working through the night and remaining as hopeful as possible.
“Good Hope” Continues Laying Eggs
September 6, 2012
After the arrival of adult female and critically endangered Hawksbill “Good Hope” from St.
Croix on the night of September 2, our turtle patient continues to get 24-hour care by The Turtle
Hospital’s small but dedicated staff. We will be keeping you up-to-date with her condition with
daily recaps from here on out.
Without a doubt, the days and nights have been long and challenging for both our turtle patient
and the Rehab team, though we continue to work hard together to ensure the best quality care
possible.
An initial assessment of Good Hope’s blood chemistry suggested 80% of her blood cells had
become septic, meaning a bacterial infection had entered into the bloodstream. However, 24-
hours later, a secondary examination of those cells suggested the sepsis is only between 20-
40%. Still in critical condition and a highly weakened state, her prognosis has thus improved

19. greatly. The gaff wounds around the front flippers as well as her swollen eyes continue to be
cleaned while we also focus our efforts on inducing labor.
Due to Good Hope’s guarded state, it is imperative that she expel the approximated 100 eggs
inside of her so that her body can strengthen. Luckily, she was already near labor upon intake in
our ER on Saturday, dropping 5 eggs overnight on Sunday after her ultrasound. Unfortunately,
these first eggs were not viable as they had been laid in salt water.
However, after we knew she was able to pass eggs through the egg canal, we were able to press
on with our goal of clearing Good Hope’s reproductive tract. An injection of the drug
“oxytocin” was administered on Monday morning after the initial eggs dropped. Because
oxytocin is used to induce contractions in mammals, we were not sure if it would be effective on
a reptile. Nevertheless, it was our best bet until we can obtain the reptilian form of the drug,
called “Vasotocin.” The injection was given at 11:08 AM on Monday and 1 egg was laid 28
minutes later.
Throughout the afternoon, she laid 4 eggs around 12:28 PM and another egg at 2:28 PM. We
continued with hourly check-ups throughout the night, but the next set of eggs was not laid until
7:55 AM the next morning on Tuesday, September 4. An additional 7 eggs emerged around 4:00
PM, and 3 more eggs had been expelled by 5:30 PM. Only 1 egg was laid the next day on
Wednesday, September 5 around 5:45 PM, bringing our total of potentially viable eggs to
25. All of the eggs have been placed in Styrofoam coolers packed in sand from St. Croix. The
temperature is being monitored as the sex of developing eggs is environmentally-dependent,
based on the ambient temperature in their location of the nest.
We cannot predict which eggs if any will hatch as the severity of Good Hope’s medical state
could have altered their developmental progress internally, but, as her name might imply, we
always like to remain hopeful here at The Turtle Hospital.
Continue to check back on our website for updates on Good Hope’s condition as well as news on
the influx of patients and hatchlings we have been receiving of late. Be sure to stay tuned to
local and national news as Good Hope has already been covered by NBC news, CBS4 and The
Miami Herald. The Weather Channel even ran two segments highlighting how wildlife was
affected by Tropical Storm/Hurricane Isaac. Good Hope was in the spotlight alongside the 22
pilot whales that stranded along Florida’s coastline.
Colorado Completes 5 Months of Rehab
September 5, 2012
Colorado made a splash in the turtle world on September 5 as he dove back into the ocean about
10 miles north of Marathon. Turtle Hospital staff applauded him upon his release, remembering
the five months of intense rehab. One of the most severe boat strikes many of the staff had ever
seen, Colorado overcame great odds to find his way home. After months of continually
debriding the four prop wounds, healthy scar tissue eventually formed and the wire sutures were

20. removed. Once Colorado passed the stages of tong feeding, Rehab staff began documenting
when he ate on his own. For the last step of rehab, Colorado was placed in our large 30-foot
tanks for physical therapy, during which his lobster hunting abilities proved to still be up to
par! This sea turtle is a reminder to all of us in the conservation world, scientists and the general
public alike, that not all humans are leading these ancient creatures toward extinction; instead,
we can help these animals to survive!
Tiny “Timmy” Has Heavy FP Load
September 5, 2012
The surprise of a sea turtle certainly livened up a frustrating day of lobstering for the Plaugher
family on August 31. About the size of a dinner plate, “Timmy” has a substantial amount of
fibropapilloma tumors for such a small turtle. Good news, though: we believe the eyes can be
saved, meaning Timmy could be seeing a future back in the deep blue (pun intended)!
While the patient was extremely active whenever stimulated, and quite feisty during an intake
blood draw, he had poor blood chemistry upon arrival. After nearly a week at The Turtle
Hospital, iron injections, antibiotics, fluids and a hearty appetite for squid have helped increase
Timmy’s total protein and PCV, making him ready for surgery once things calm down here at
the hospital.
“Daisy” Gets Some Sunshine from TH Staff
September 5, 2012
Juvenile green “Daisy” was found floating 10 miles northwest of Marathon on September
4. Lori and Kevin called in the turtle from aboard Kevin’s boat. Daisy is exhibiting signs of
possible toxicity such as intense flipper twitching and extreme weakness. The turtle not only
floats, but she floats with her head and flippers listlessly submerged. This poses her as a high
risk for drowning, so she is dry-docked in a tank with a mister positioned overhead. Treating her
with a charcoal remedy and a heavy antibiotic that was also used for head trauma patient “Jill,”
we hope that any toxins will be removed. Some fluids will help flush out her system as well.
We are extremely grateful to Daisy’s rescue family. Hopefully, Daisy will see a full recovery
and be catching her own rays of sunlight from below the ocean’s surface sometime in the future.
Turtle Exams, Including Endoscope Footage!
August 31, 2012
Yesterday was a busy day at The Turtle Hospital. Three of our turtle patients were pulled from
their rehab tanks for medical examinations, two of which involved sedation for surgical
procedures.
First, Dr. Doug Mader performed an endoscope of Stella’s lungs. This adult female green was
rescued about a week ago, reportedly listing to one side. The “bronchoscope” revealed a
significant difference between the sizes of the two bronchi. The airway begins with the trachea
which branches into two bronchi, each a passageway for air into one of the lungs. The right

21. bronchus was found to be much smaller than the left. Common sense would therefore suggest
that less air is able to pass through into the right lung at one time. Stella’s tilt could be due to
imbalanced air pressure between the lungs. Additionally, a biopsy was taken of a granuloma
found in the right lung and a fluid sample was sent out for cytology as well. Watch the video of
Stella’s lung endoscope, termed a “bronchoscope,” by clicking here. The endoscope tools travel
in and out of the trachea, through one of the bronchi and explore the lungs. Notice the healthy
coloration of the left lung versus the gloomier coloring in the right lung, likely due to a past bout
of pneumonia.
Post-surgery, a floatie was attached to Stella’s carapace to keep her plastron from rubbing on the
bottom and aid with balancing in shallow water.
After Stella’s procedure, Dr. Mader removed the remainder of Barrett’s fibropapilloma
tumors. This was Barrett’s second surgery, and an amazing mound of tumors was removed from
the cloaca and front flipper regions. Barrett lost a lot of blood and is currently recovering with a
lot of bandages and gauze to initiate clotting.
Lastly, Hunter was given a thorough look-over to assess the possibility of future procedures for
removal of the remaining three fishing hooks. He has developed some abscesses under his lower
jaw that will be cleaned and monitored daily as we continue to pry open his jaw for feeding and
therapy.
How Our Turtles Fared TS Isaac
August 27, 2012
Tropical Storm Isaac swept through the Florida Keys mid-day yesterday, August 26, but The
Turtle Hospital was already well-prepared. Anticipating a CAT 1 hurricane in our area, Rehab
staff evacuated all of our permanent residents from the Main Pool and into two 30,000 gallon
above-ground “hurricane tanks.” Additionally, all 12 current patients, 19 hatchlings and 3 ex-pet
box turtles were moved into shallow water tanks in the hospital or research trailer. With an
amazing team effort between Rehabbers, Educators and the entire Turtle Hospital staff, all turtles
were ready to brave the storm in under four hours time.
Medical equipment was placed on higher ground if possible, as were all important patient files
and records in anticipation of possible flooding. The last step was to put up the storm shutters,
and after that, everyone hunkered down. Some of our staff were disappointed that Isaac never
turned into a hurricane when we were hit, as this was to be the first big name storm for many of
our out-of-state staff members. Nevertheless, the 60 mph winds were a warm-up for the
remainder of Hurricane Season 2012.
So if you were worrying about our sea turtle patients out there, be assured we here at The Turtle
Hospital have our act together! When dealing with endangered species, we don’t take weather
advisories lightly!
Fiesta Eats a Lobster—Video Footage!
August 23, 2012

22. Our “party girl,” a nearly 200-lb loggerhead named Fiesta, has been through a lot these past few
months. The survivor of a boat hit, Fiesta suffered prop wounds to the middle and rear of her
carapace, resulting in partial rear flipper paralysis. Nevertheless, she continues to make
tremendous progress. Now off antibiotics, minimal wound care is one of the last steps before a
possible release. Honey is still being applied to Fiesta’s wounds to aid in the granulation of scar
tissue, but we have high hopes for a future that will see this lady swimming in the wide open
blue.
In order to evaluate Fiesta’s release potential and ability to adapt to the partial paralysis, a live
treat was added to her tank so that we could monitor her ability to catch prey. Check out this
video and watch as Fiesta eats a lobster!
“Cheap Family Travel” Visits Us
August 22, 2012
A family of four gradeschool siblings visited The Turtle Hospital last month on a visit to the
Florida Keys with Mom and Dad. The family started a video travel archive called “Cheap
Family Travel.” Watch their behind-the-scenes tour of The Turtle Hospital led by one of our
very own Rehab staffers, Matt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq2fNA5OhG4.
Special thanks to Cheap Family Travel for spotlighting The Turtle Hospital on their trip to the
Florida Keys!
Jill’s Circles are Straightening!
August 18, 2012
“Straight circle” sounds like an oxymoron, but it’s a term we’re becoming accustomed to here at
The Turtle Hospital. Two months ago, we welcomed juvenile Green, “Jill,” a head trauma
patient who does indeed swim in circles. Over the past two months, the Rehab team has worked
extensively with Jill’s swimming and feeding habits to encourage more normal behavior. She is
receiving daily neck stretches and physical therapy to encourage her to swim in the opposite
direction. Additionally, she has been on a series of medications that seems to be doing the trick!
Back in July, a spinal tap removed some of the excess cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) on the
brain. Jill is also on medication that aims to diminish the amount of CSF putting pressure on the
brain. A daily pill for motion sickness also seems to be helping this turtle straighten out!
When Jill first came in, Rehab staff had to pry open Jill’s jaw to place food in her
mouth. Nowadays, while still placement feeding most food, Jill’s jaw has loosened up, and she
is able to bite at squid as it dangles from tongs! It seems the combination of medication, therapy
and hands-on care are helping this turtle to make improvements. Though small steps at this
point, we anticipate leaps of progress in the months to come!
9 New Hatchlings!

23. August 15, 2012
The Turtle Hospital welcomed 9 hatchlings today, late bloomers who were lethargic out of the
nest. At only one-day old, each is about the size of a ping-pong ball. Transported to The Turtle
Hospital by Sue Schaf of FWC, these loggerhead babies were found in the isolated Marquesas
Keys during FWC nesting patrol. All of the hatchlings seemed to find some renewed energy
once put into tanks of water in our rehab enclosure. We will continue to monitor their strength
and will release them once they start to eat on their own.
New Patient “Hunter” Got Hooked
August 9, 2012
Yesterday afternoon, The Turtle Hospital received a phone call from a man named John
regarding a floating loggerhead. John and a crew of friends and family were out hunting lobster
offshore in Bamboo Bank when they came across a 167-lb adult male loggerhead. Turtle
Hospital Manager Bette Zirkelbach and Rehabber Stacey Venzel went out for their first on-water
rescue, cruising out to sea onboard a Coast Guard vessel. John’s boat stayed near the turtle,
pointing him out for the joint rescue team. Together, they pulled the cumbersome load aboard.
It was quickly determined that “Hunter”–as named by John, etc.–was experiencing lockjaw, an
ailment affecting a handful of our loggerhead patients every year, that renders them unable to
open their mouths. Though the exact cause of lockjaw is not known, some scientists hypothesize
that it might be due to a cerebral parasite overload or neurotoxin build-up. Because loggerheads
can no longer actively eat when they become afflicted with lockjaw, these patients often arrive
emaciated, as was the case with Hunter. With a shell spanning nearly 3 ft long, a turtle this size
should weigh around 200-lbs.
Initial x-rays revealed at least 4 fishing hooks inside the turtle, 1 in the flipper and at least 3 in
the esophagus. Our veterinarian, Dr. Mader, was able to remove one of the hooks with the turtle
sedated. The remaining hooks would require a more invasive surgery due to the fact that they
have become embedded. Hunter would need to be much stronger in order to be put under
anesthesia. For now, Hunter’s health and behavior will be monitored while we try to get some
calories into him. Luckily, these hooks appear to have been the cheap, dissolvable kind as
opposed to the everlasting stainless steel hooks. In the event that we cannot surgically remove
the other hooks, we hope to see them dissolve over time.
A special thanks goes out to the Marathon Coast Guard for aiding in this turtle’s rescue, as well
as John and clan for keeping an eye on Hunter until Turtle Hospital staff could arrive!
31 Hatchlings Released!
August 9, 2012
Having completed just over one week in “rehab,” 31 of 33 hatchlings were released into the Gulf
Stream on Thursday of last week. All but 2 of the 33 hatchlings were recovered from the
Truman Annex Naval Air Station in Key West, FL, where artificial lighting disoriented their trek
to the sea. One of those hatchlings is still healing from fire ant bites and has yet to begin self-

24. feeding. Another hatchling is still being monitored for a front flipper injury. (The teeny flipper
is currently bandaged to improve the healing process.) Determination of hatchling releasability
is based on each individual’s ability to eat on his or her own as well as overall physical strength
and mobility. The hatchlings were released directly into the Gulf Stream in a bed of Sargassum
seaweed. Being so miniature and relatively defenseless in an otherwise large open ocean, the
Gulf Stream offers these baby sea turtles protection. Its current will carry them across the
Atlantic Ocean, all the way up to Europe, for the first few years of their lives. We hope we gave
them a jump-start to survival!
Lobster Mini-Season Brings 31 Mini Turtles
July 26, 2012
Lobster mini-season has come and gone, and The Turtle Hospital staff has stayed on its toes
anticipating incoming rescue calls regarding boat hits. During lobster mini-season, more eyes
and more boats on the water typically means more patients. However, our staff was not
expecting the arrival of 31 loggerhead hatchlings!
At the Truman Annex Naval Air Station (NAS) in Key West, two grounds maintenance
contractors, Andy Mendez and Derrick Randolph, were preparing to mow the lawn when they
discovered 6 hatchlings in the grassy area. They rang for manager Tim Swanburg who in turn
dialed The Turtle Hospital. Veteran Rehabber Tom Luebke was dispatched, with the rest of the
Rehab staff going about the routine preparations for a handful of hatchlings.
Arriving at NAS, Tom met up with Carrie Backlund, Navy Natural Resources Manager, and
Save-a-Turtle nest patrollers Melissa Wallace, also with the Navy, and Keena Allene of the
Sheriff’s Department. They determined that this nest, though marked, hatched later than
expected. It is likely that these small turtles mistook artificial lighting for the moon as hatchlings
will navigate to the ocean following the lunar reflection on the water’s surface. While lights on
the property’s grassy area are turned off during nesting season, a tennis court–more than a
football field away from the nest–remains lit at night.
As NAS staff and volunteers searched the grounds, the number of hatchlings continued to rise.
Four dead hatchlings were found in the road having been run over by cars, and two hatchlings
had died from fire ant bites. (It only takes two fire ant bites to kill a hatchling!) Tom left with 13
live hatchlings and made a U-turn for 19 more. Eventually, the nest was located and dug up,
unearthing a total of 129 eggs. Five fertilized eggs did not hatch, two turtles died from being
trampled at the bottom of the nest, 4 eggs were reportedly pipped but the hatchlings did not
emerge, and 19 live hatchlings were added to the 13 disoriented individuals. After one hatchling
died in transit from fire ant bites, Rehab staff filled up two more tanks with multiple dividers for
a total of 31 hatchlings.
Because of the limited reserve of energy hatchlings have to make it across land, to the sea and
into the Gulf Stream, The Turtle Hospital will make sure these little guys and gals are strong and
eating on their own before giving them a jump-start on survival. They will eventually be released
at-sea in a bed of camouflaging Sargassum seaweed. We have our work cut out for us, but we
wouldn’t have any hatchlings to rehabilitate if it weren’t for the care and concern of these six

25. rescuers. We are especially grateful that they took more than three hours out of their work day to
make sure every hatchling was found!
Izzy’s Pre-Release Video!
July 25, 2012
Check out this video of our green sea turtle boat hit survivor, Izzy, foraging in a large tank
during a pre-release observational period. Note the silver “bling” on her right front and left rear
flippers. In addition to a PIT microchip inserted under the shoulder region, these tags have
unique identification codes that will allow facilities to track back Izzy’s history in the event that
she ever ends up in a captive environment again. But, we hope she’ll live out the rest of her life
happily munching away in a bed of seemingly endless seagrass! We won’t be offended if she
doesn’t keep in touch!
Farewell, Farley! Hello, Hatchling!
July 12, 2012
As The Turtle Hospital staff loaded up our largest patient for release–a 375 pound female green–
a call came in about a much smaller patient we were about to receive–a golf ball sized
loggerhead hatchling.
Farley was released two miles offshore from a commercial lobster and crab trap boat, a crab trap
being the very thing that brought her to us. Her right front flipper had to be
amputated due to the entanglement. Talk about going full circle. The irony of the story did, in
fact, make Farley’s release even more meaningful. Bill Kelly, president of the commercial
fishing industry in the Keys, rode alongside the big boat in a smaller vessel, complete with a
camera crew. Farley will become the “poster child” for trap and angler interaction in the Florida
Keys as Mr. Kelly plans to produce a press release encouraging commercial fishermen to be
vigilant and concerned about conserving marine life at large.
Farley’s rescue family, including three generations of the four man rescue team, drove all the
way down from Winter Haven, FL to be part of the release. Jan Zinsmeister wishes she
would have been on the boat the day Farley was spotted, noting that this release would be
something she would never forget. She also remarked that she wouldn’t have let
her 12-year-old son (and one of the rescuers), Zach, miss this opportunity. His five-year-old
sister even rearranged her birthday plans, canceling a celebration back home so that
they could all witness this happy ending.
Upon returning to The Turtle Hospital, staff welcomed our first hatchling of the season. This
lone loggerhead was picked up by FWC on their weekly patrolling in the Marquesas
Keys during nesting season. Of the 87 eggs in this nest, 83 made it to the sea successfully, three
did not hatch and one found its way to us. Due to the isolation of the Marquesas, these
hatchlings do not have to deal with light pollution, beach debris or coastal development that
might interrupt their journey to the sea. Our newest patient
likely had trouble getting around a root, using up too much energy in the process. Hopefully,
we’ll send the little loggerhead back to sea once it’s eating on its own!

26. “Saddle” Rides the Big, Open Blue
July 10, 2012
An impressive crowd gathered to wave goodbye as Saddle sprinted out to sea. This sub-adult
loggerhead was released at Bahia Honda State Park surrounded by Turtle Hospital staff, tourists,
Keys residents, local politicians and a camera crew. Rehab staff polled each other on what
Saddle would do first upon release and all came to the same conclusion: he’d find food. Saddle
was a feisty loggerhead, living true to the name with an impressive mouth size and
appetite. With a quick and full recovery, we were excited to send him home!
Young Kemp’s Ridley “Rainbow” Arrives
July 4, 2012
The Turtle Hospital welcomed another turtle yesterday–a juvenile Kemp’s Ridley! Frequent
vacationers to the Keys, Sarasota natives Karey & Jan were out on the water trolling for dolphin
when they noticed a bobber along the weedline. Initially, they thought the bundle attached to the
line was just a raggedy hat. But, unconvinced, they returned to the area only to find a turtle
entangled in fishing line, so much so that it appeared dead! As soon as they began removing the
line, “Rainbow Runner”–named after their boat–started to wriggle. The monofilament was
wrapped tightly around both front flippers and the turtle’s neck. Additionally, Rainbow ingested
part of the line, likely what led to the entanglement.
Luckily, this Kemp’s Ridley was found just in time! We are applying ointment to increase
circulation in the flipper and neck region while we work on getting the turtle to pass any line in
the GI. Rainbow also is receiving medicine to treat anemia and malnourishment. The fact that
Rainbow ate immediately is encouraging, and we hope for a full recovery!
Join Us for Saddle’s Release!
June 30, 2012
Saddle, our feistiest current patient, is ready to head back into the sea! Help us wish
Saddle farewell and good luck at Bahia Honda State Park (north beach) on Saturday, July 7 at
10:00 AM.
This young loggerhead was lucky to be found by park rangers of the Overseas Heritage Trail on
April 27. Arriving severely emaciated and malnourished, Saddle was in surprisingly high
spirits–attempting to bite any- and everything, left and right! Likely floating from an impaction
prior to the stranding, Saddle had been sick for quite some time. Nevertheless, she gained 20 lbs
in 2 weeks–one of the fastest recoveries to date! We are excited for Saddle to soon be swimming
in the open ocean again!
Boat Hit Turtle Updates
June 28, 2012

27. Many folks who have visited The Turtle Hospital in the past few months are inquiring about the
progress of some of our boat hit survivors. With the impending lobster season, not only do we
get a number of loggerheads in with entanglements and impactions, but we also take in more
turtles that have been hit by boats. On the way out to lay the traps, boats are often riding lower
in the water due to the added weight of the heavy lobster traps. The waters around the Florida
Keys only have an average depth of six feet, making cruising, napping and foraging sea turtles
easy targets. At the onset of lobster season, they become increasingly more vulnerable to boat
strikes and propeller wounds in the shallow waters.
While we prepare for the expected influx of boat hit patients, here is an update on some of our
current patients recovering from boat strikes:
Colorado:
 Stranded on March 25, 2012
 Eating on own and off antibiotics! Wound is healing extremely well. Learning to swim with
just front flippers as he has paralysis in the tail and rear flippers.
Izzy:
 Stranded on August 8, 2011
 Scar tissue has filled in left front carapace. Has a HUGE appetite and is gradually gaining
weight. Actively diving down and resting on bottom without encouragement! Previously
thought to be non-releasable due to brain hemorrhaging causing continual floating for
first 8 months of rehab, but now a candidate for release!
Fiesta:
 Stranded on June 21, 2012
 Receiving antibiotics and fluid (along with fiber for impaction). Eating on own! Prop
wound had already begun to heal upon arrival and now is getting medical attention to
prevent infection.
Reginald:
 Has recovered from laser surgery to remove FP tumors. Scar tissue has filled in prop
wound and spinal cord is no longer exposed! Moving to quad in main pool soon to be
with fellow FP/boat hit survivor George!
George (juvenile green, stranded February 17, 2011) is almost ready for release provided she
doesn’t have any FP regrowths. The boat strike did trap air in her shell but she is still able to
fully submerge herself and rest on the bottom.
 These turtles were lucky enough to get help in time to prevent infections or further
complications that can arise from floating due to a boat strike. Thank you for all of you
who have eyes on the water to help out sea turtles in need! And thanks for following the
boating regulations so that we can better protect these amazing animals!
Welcome, Nicole!
June 28, 2012

28. Another loggerhead arrived at the Turtle Hospital after being picked up by FWC during the
annual at-sea research. A blood sample onboard showed the turtle to have a low PCV,
classifying it as severely anemic. Once in the ER for examination, a second blood analysis
confirmed the poor blood chemistry. Additionally, x-rays showed an impaction of particulate
matter, likely sand and small marine debris. The turtle was named “Nicole” by NOAA’s sea
turtle pathologist Dr. Brian Stacy who was part of the research-turned-rescue team. Currently,
Nicole is receiving iron injections to improve her blood chemistry as well as good doses of Bean-
O and lactulose to pass the impaction. She was lucky to be caught before her health worsened,
and we are very grateful to FWC and NOAA for bringing her to us for rehab!
“Fiesta,” the Party Girl
June 23, 2012
Our newest patient, a 200-lb sub-adult (but nearly adult!) loggerhead, arrived June 21. During
FWC and NOAA’s annual on-water loggerhead round-up, collecting data on the turtle
population here in the Keys, crew came across a floater. With noticeable prop wounds running
horizontal to the vertebral scutes, it was obvious that this turtle needed help. Turtle Hospital
rescue team responded and the injured turtle was handed off so that the research could continue,
but not before a battle of the minds to decide upon a name for the turtle. “Fiesta” was happily
agreed upon based on her stranding location off Fiesta Key.
Radiographs showed sand all throughout the GI tract. While the prop wound seems to be
somewhat of an older ailment, the impaction could have occurred prior to or after the boat
strike. Fiesta is healing in low water with a sprinkler positioned overhead. Some betadine and
honey help to keep the wounds clean! The spine does not appear to be completely severed, but a
nick may have caused partial paralysis in the rear flippers.
Alvarez’s Release!
June 22, 2012
Rescued about two weeks ago off Key Largo, this sub-adult loggerhead is tagged and awaiting
release! Join us for a public send-off at Anne’s Beach (East entrance) on Sunday, June 24 at
1:30 PM.
Found floating, Alvarez received Bean-o and lactulose along with a round of fluids and
antibiotics. This treatment plan was intended to fight off potential infections or impacted
material in the digestive tract. This turtle’s health is in strong condition! With a hearty appetite,
Alvarez is anxiously awaiting getting back into the ocean to hunt some conch, lobster and crab!
Mallory Beats the Laser
June 15, 2012
The day finally arrived when Mallory, a juvenile green, had strong enough blood chemistry to
undergo laser surgery for FP tumor removals. Mallory came in malnourished as is typical of a

29. turtle afflicted with FP. The tumors draw energy and their own blood supply from a turtle’s
body.
Mallory’s right eye was also removed, having been taken over by not one but two of the
aggressive fibropapilloma tumors. After being heavily bandaged up post-surgery (and looking
mighty cute with the rainbow vet wrap), she is recuperating in her rehab tank.
Farley’s Amputation Goes Swimmingly
June 2, 2012
Less than a week after admittance to The Turtle Hospital with a right front flipper entanglement,
Farley underwent an amputation surgery. The crab trap rope had been wrapped around the
turtle’s flipper for quite some time out in the wild, cutting off circulation so that bone and tissue
began to rot away.
Dr. Doug Mader performed the surgery (having flown in from Alaska the night before!). He was
assisted by Rehab staffer Marie Simpson.
The 370-lb female green is recovering quickly in a lap tank in our rehabilitation enclosure. She
began swimming the moment she was placed in water–a rarity for an animal that has just had a
limb removed! We will continue to closely monitor the surgery site, having high hopes that
Farley will be released in a few months!
Saving Sea Turtles in Kansas
June 2, 2012
Pierce Saturday had never been to The Turtle Hospital prior to May 30, 2012. The 11-year old
self-proclaimed sea turtle activist lives in Kansas–far from these ocean-dwelling reptiles. But
through family friends who live in the Keys, Pierce heard about the turtles that need saving not
only in Florida but also worldwide. For his birthday back in November, he asked not for
gifts but for donations to The Turtle Hospital. To take conservation awareness a step further,
Pierce set up an informational booth in a pet store back in his hometown, with photos and
pamphlets on The Turtle Hospital, its patients, and the general welfare of sea turtles
globally. On May 30–7 months after collecting donations for the turtles–Pierce finally got the
chance to visit our facility. He spent a few hours with founder Richie Moretti, listening to the
stories of the sea turtles in our care. At the end of it all, he presented The Turtle Hospital with a
check for $650.
Thank you, Pierce, for your dedication to these endangered species! And thank you to all the
Kansas locals who contributed to our cause. Pierce’s hard work is a reminder to us that it’s
never too early to start speaking up about conservation!
Monroe County Schools Learn About Sea Turtles
May 26, 2012

30. Over the past month, The Turtle Hospital has seen more than 200 elementary students walk
through its doors. Starting with the Easter weekend and continuing through June 7, the official
last day of school in the Keys, Monroe Country schools can attend one of our educational
programs for free. Grade-school children have challenged our staff’s sea turtle knowledge with
intriguing questions. Some of the classes have followed up with letters detailing what they
learned, as well as describing their favorite part of the education program.
As a rehabilitation and education center for these endangered reptiles, we hope to continue to
give a voice to sea turtles through the human future generation. Thank you to all of the Monroe
County classes that have visited us!
Farley, the “Fat Girl in a Little Coat”
May 26, 2012
Today was a BIG day for staff at The Turtle Hospital and for the Zinsmeister family. Residents
of Winter Haven, FL, Tom, Chris and Zach Zinsmeister came down to their home away from
home for the Memorial Day weekend. Intending to head out on the boat for a day of fishing,
they instead ending up rescuing an endangered species–a 370-lb adult female green! The turtle
was entangled in the line of a stone crab trap and had been caught up for quite some time.
The right front flipper had already begun to self-amputate–basically rotting away from lack of
circulation. Cruising to shore to pick up Turtle Hospital Rehab staffer Tom Luebke, the
group heave-hoed the turtle onboard the boat.
Farley has made it safely to The Turtle Hospital where she will undergo a full surgical
amputation of the right flipper area.
“Farley” is named after actor Chris Farley from the film Tommy Boy. Her rescuers noted that,
while pulling aboard the rather large green, the heavy-weight began to tear the net, much like the
character Tommy does during the sing-song scene “fat guy in a little coat.” But in this case,
our star is actually a girl!
“Tini” Gets an Upgrade
May 24, 2012
Juvenile green FP turtle “Tini” was moved recently from a tank to a quadrant in the main tidal
pool (known as “Quad 2″ to the Rehab staff). After FP turtles have recovered from their initial
surgery to remove the external tumors, they are moved into the larger, natural setting. Here, they
can build up an immune response to the FP virus. We continually monitor the turtles in Quad 2
to check for any tumor regrowths. Building up an immunity to fibropapilloma can take time–
more than a year–but we continue to care for these turtles anxiously awaiting the day for their
release. Tini, a shark attack survivor as well, now has a bunkmate, George, who is both a boat
strike and FP survivor working on an immune response to the virus.
Join Us for World Turtle Day!

31. May 18, 2012
Who knew there was a day that could be all about turtles?? Celebrate World Turtle Day with
The Turtle Hospital and the Florida Keys Save-a-Turtle nesting program on Wednesday, May
23. The benefit will be at Cabana Breezes (401 E. Ocean Dr., Key Colony Beach), starting at 4
pm. Events will include a silent auction, 50/50 raffle, jewelry sale by Chloe and Isabel Jewelry,
prizes and drink specials! Entertainment will be provided by “Sam the DJ.” Proceeds support
sea turtles directly through The Turtle Hospital and Save-a-Turtle! We hope to see you there!
Bubble Butt Thanks Ellis Elementary!
May 18, 2012
Bubble Butt and The Turtle Hospital would like to thank the students at Ellis Elementary School
in Belleville, IL for their generous donation to help save the sea turtles. Students in grades pre-K
through fourth collected soda pop tabs as part of their recycling service learning project–enough
to fill an entire fish tank! They donated all proceeds from the recycled aluminum tabs to The
Turtle Hospital. Every bit helps–especially with the high demands of some of the sea turtles in
our care, like Bubble Butt. Thank you!!!
Gov. Scott Releases S.A.S.
May 10, 2012
Gov. Scott Releases Mended Sea Turtle Off Keys « CBS Miami.
Florida Governor Rick Scott recently made a trip to the Keys where he stopped at The Turtle
Hospital. During his visit, the governor helped release S.A.S., a sea turtle that was found
entangled in a lobster trap line, covered in fibropapilloma tumors. Click the link above for more
on S.A.S.’s release as told by CBS Miami news.
The Heavy Weights Brigade
May 9, 2012
Green sea turtles Mickey and Sekoi and our one resident Kemp’s Ridley, Bender, gained some
weight in the past weeks, but not from overeating! Turtle Hospital staff went through the timely
trial-and-error process to determine how much weight was needed to offset the residual
buoyancy issues in these turtles caused by boat strikes. Air often gets trapped under a sea turtle’s
shell upon impact of a blunt force, and, unfortunately, this air results in the turtle floating
permanently. Deemed non-releasable, the Turtle Hospital has developed a weight system that
allows these turtles to dive down during their lives in captivity. While Mickey, Sekoi and
Bender were ready to have weights glued directly to their shells, some turtles are fitted with a
temporary weight belt during the shell healing process while we wait for the keratin to strengthen
(see below the recent post on O.D.).
Saddle Up!
April 30, 2012

32. Floating under Saddle Bunch #5 Historic Bridge, our newest turtle arrived in good spirits despite
being emaciated. This subadult loggerhead’s rescue required a team effort between FWC staff
member Sue Schaft and Turtle Hospital rehabber Gunnar. Using a kayak to traverse a series of
deep water channels, the two successfully pulled the turtle to safety. To increase glucose levels,
Saddle received Dextrose once he was unloaded into our Emergency Room. Saddle also
received a freshwater bath which helped alleviate the attachment of a record amount of barnacles
to the carapace. All X-rays look good, so we hope that some TLC will speedily get this turtle’s
blood chemistry to normal levels.
We would like to thank both Monica Woll and Scott Parker for calling in the stranding, and
thank you to the Overseas Heritage Trail rangers who kept an eye on the turtle until help
arrived. The Turtle Hospital rehab staff has taken quite a liking to Saddle’s antics which include
attempts to bite any and everything nearby his mouth.
Big Upgrades for Little Turtles
April 27, 2012
Our two loggerhead post-hatchlings, Finn and Fisher, are living large these days. Both turtles
have moved just around the bend from the shallow hatchling tanks to deeper circular
tanks. While the first few months of the life of a sea turtle are spent “going with the flow”–
literally–they autonomously learn to dive down later in their first year. In an effort to encourage
this instinctual survival behavior, we are providing these turtles with enough water depth to
practice diving. Eight-month old Fisher is eating off the bottom in 3 feet of water! As for our
“one flipper wonder,” a hearty appetite rules Finn’s practice routines. The turtle swims hard to
make sure no food goes uneaten.
Hess Released!
April 21, 2012
Little green Hess has been through a lot--three blood transfusions, tube feeding and a lengthy car
ride transfer from Sea World to The Turtle Hospital. After one month here, and 5 months total
in rehab, Hess was released on April 18. FWC staff member Sue Schaf provided transport for
the now-healthy sea turtle to the East Coast, where Hess originally stranded. Our freckled
friend sure was glad to get out of rehab and back into the sea! Let’s hope we don’t see her again!
“Doc” Checks in for Rehab
April 21, 2012
At just over 70 lbs, juvenile loggerhead “Doc” checked in for rehab on April 20. Doc was found
floating off Sombrero Beach by part-time Marathoners and Wisconsin natives Tim & Barb
Heitman and Becky Galvan. Mr. Heitman practices medicine, which inspired Doc’s
name. Having participated in one of our education programs a few weeks prior, the trio could
tell this turtle was in distress, and they knew just who to call! Needing a boat for pick-up,
Florida National Marine Sanctuary and FWC provided Doc’s transportation, performing the at-
sea rescue. Upon arrival at our little marina, Doc was taken into the Emergency Room for a full
body examination, including X-rays. In addition to being unable to dive, the turtle has abscesses

33. under the throat region as well as a tear in the lower jaw, presumably from a fish hook being
ripped out. The turtle is also experiencing “lock jaw” and will likely undergo physical therapy to
get the mouth muscles working again. A special thanks goes out to Doc’s rescuers! Now we can
be sure that this sea turtle gets all the medical attention needed for a quick and full recovery!
O.D. Gains Some Weight(s)
April 21, 2012
Four-year permanent resident O.D. is packing on the pounds this week with a newly fitted
temporary weight belt. Rehab staff member–and quite the engineer–Gunnar created the
contraption out of SCUBA weight belts. With 7.5 pounds extra weight, O.D. can once again
swim gracefully through the water. The 330-lb adult green previously had weights attached
directly to his shell but because sea turtles shed their scutes, those weights eventually fell
off. The shell often becomes slightly soft and vulnerable in the region where these weights were
once attached. Allowing for the shell to strengthen before once more affixing weights
directly, O.D. will sport this harness for a few weeks.
O.D.’s story is unique. The turtle stranded in North Carolina in 2007 with a left lung infection,
was released, and re-stranded a year later here in the Florida Keys. The lung issue is
unfortunately a permanent ailment and left O.D. with buoyancy issues on the left side. He
cannot properly dive down without the addition of weights to offset the buoyancy and so is non-
releasable. We have been actively searching for a new home for O.D. (short for “Ocean
Dive”) in a zoo or aquarium. While we would miss him here at The Turtle Hospital, this big guy
is ready to be the star in his own turtle tank somewhere.
The Endoscopy Queue
April 18, 2012
On Wednesday, 18 April, five sea turtles lined up in The Turtle Hospital’s designated “waiting
area.” All of these juvenile greens have external fibropapilloma tumors and were preparing for
individual endoscopies to check for internal tumors. Dr. Kristin from Marathon Veterinary
Hospital led the examinations. An endoscopy is also one way to find out the sex of an immature
sea turtle. We found out that all of these sea turtles are actually females, despite some masculine
names. But that’s okay–our patients don’t seem to care. We were relieved to find that only 1 of
the turtles had internal fibropapilloma tumors. Next week, the veterinarians will be in again, this
time to fully anaesthetize the turtles for laser surgery to remove the external tumors.
The Endoscopy Queue–Or, A Long Line of Females. Pictured front to back are: Eddie,
Reginald, Tini, Mallory and Ernie.
One Flipper Wonder
April 12, 2012
Itty bitty washback post-hatchling, Finn, was found floating in a bed of seagrass on April 11th–
with only one fully functional flipper! This loggerhead is probably a couple months younger
than our education turtle, Fisher. The two are now tank neighbors! Only Finn’s front left flipper

34. is fully intact; the front right flipper is a nub down to the elbow. Both back flippers also show
signs of a predator attack with 50% of each flipper missing. Finn also came in with some small
puncture wounds on the plastron and carapace. But a turtle that came to us nearly flipper-less
but still alive is a rarity! Finn is one example of the resilience and adaptability of sea turtles,
perhaps why they’ve managed to survive since the prehistoric era.
New FP Patient, “Mallory”
April 12, 2012
Mallory completed the influx of sea turtles needing rehab–4 in 4 days!–when she arrived on
April 2nd. This green sub-adult is being treated for buoyancy issues while we await an
endoscopy to tell us if Mallory has internal FP tumors in addition to the external ones. Mallory
was found floating at Turkey Basin around Mallory Point, her name-sake. We are very thankful
to her rescuers for getting this turtle the help she needed and for checking up on her in the days
since her arrival!
Another Green Patient: Eddie
April 12, 2012
Another green sea turtle with fibropapilloma tumors arrived at The Turtle Hospital on April
11th. Eddie was rescued in Sandy Key, found floating and covered in tumors and leeches. After
a freshwater soak to get all the leeches and eggs off, Eddie was put into a tank with shallow
water. He is still floating some, but hopefully Eddie will get an endoscopy soon to let us know
what is causing the buoyancy!
Ernie Arrives at The Turtle Hospital
April 12, 2012
On March 30th, Diver Dave and Rob Zombie were out trying to catch a few more lobster before
the season ended; they noticed a young green sea turtle covered in fibropapilloma tumors. Being
from the Keys, they knew the turtle needed help. They grabbed the little green and got him on
the boat. After calling the Turtle Hospital to file a report, they began making there way to Hawks
Cay Marina, where they met up with The Turtle Hospital staff. An intake medical examination
showed Ernie to be blind in one eye due to FP tumors and having 75% vision in the other eye.
He is currently gaining an appetite–and avoiding shrimp at all costs–while awaiting surgery!
Rocky D Released!
April 12, 2012
Weighing 176-lb at the time of his release, loggerhead Rocky D rounded out the last of 4
loggerheads to be released in the month of March. The turtle bee-lined it toward the open ocean
on March 31st, the day of his release. Rocky D arrived at The Turtle Hospital with an impaction
of small shells, an alternate food source he feasted on due to overfishing of the typical
lobster/crab meal. In two-and-a-half months, the impaction and subsequent gas were gone, and
Rocky D was released at Anne’s Beach in Islamorada among a crowd of well-wishers.

35. No More Tumors? No More Rehab!
April 12, 2012
Celebrating his one-year anniversary being free of FP tumors, L&L experienced another type of
freedom–release! A few weeks ago, L&L said goodbye to bunkmates SAS and George,
swimming fast toward the open sea on the day of his release.
Two Transfers from Sea World
April 9, 2012
Juvenile greens Hess and Fiddle arrived at The Turtle Hospital on March 12th, transfers from
Sea World’s rehab facility. FP tumors sprouted on Fiddle shortly after his rescue bySea World,
and so he came to us where our favorite veterinarian, Dr. Mader, zapped off the growths. Fiddle
is also recovering from a boat strike on the rear of his carapace that paralyzed his rear flippers.
These flippers were also nibbled on by a predator. Nevertheless, Fiddle swims like a maniac and
remains a feisty individual during med time. His suite-mate in Orlando, Hess, came along as well
having been treated for emaciation and lethargy. Due to malnourishment, Hess received a blood
transfusion from a sea turtle donor back at Sea World! We’re beefing up Hess, getting some
meat on those bones, and hope to release her soon!
Reginald Survives a Boat Strike
April 9, 2012
Another green sea turtle came to us on March 13th with an old boat strike to the back end of the
carapace, coupled with developing FP tumors. Reginald was malnourished and had some
buoyancy issues upon arrival but is moving around much better these days. Unfortunately, spinal
damage has caused partial paralysis in the back flippers. The good news is Reggie has become a
champion eater, and we’re seeing weekly improvements in the turtle’s blood chemistry.