Tabitha

08/01/2026 “Tabitha” is a juvenile loggerhead sea turtle that was found floating at the water surface by civilians north of Snake Island. During intake this animal was weighed and had a blood sample taken. She was admitted to a tank with low water, 10ppt salinity, and a water temperature of 80 degrees. “Tabitha” was offered seafood the day of admission and she foraged a few pieces of capelin and squid. Initial bloodwork showed that this animal was anemic.
As can be seen in “Tabitha’s” patient picture, this turtle was already tagged when she stranded. Through collaboration with colleagues and research into the tag number, our team learned that “Tabitha” was part of a head-start program in Colombia. These programs raise young turtles, or hatchlings, in managed care until they reach a certain size to promote higher survival rates when released. We learned that “Tabitha” was released when she was six months old!