2/18/2016  Animal found floating in Intercoastal Waterway unable to submerge.  Transported to Mote.  Old boat strike wound to carapace and heavy overgrowth of epibiota on carapace.  Weight: 40.3 kg. 

3/28/2016   Frank continues to improve.  Raised water level in tank to half full since animal is no longer floating.  Frank is foraging well.  Switched to oral antibioics.

4/16/2016    Frank occasionally still floats.  Have started debriding old boat strike wound on carapace to help with proper healing.

5/19/2016   Animal was switched to a different antibiotic.  Continuing to monitor buoyancy and behavior.

06/23/2016  Frank is still on antibiotics.  Carapace is healing nicely.  Continuing to monitor buoyancy/floating issues that are present at times.  

10/14/2016  Frank was relocated to a larger, deeper rehab. enclosure to hopefully help decrease stress levels and buoyancy issues. 

10/22/2016  Animal is doing very well in the larger habitat.  Frank is foraging for all food offered, is achieveing neutral buoyancy, and spends much more time resting than pacing in the new enclosure. 

12/23/2016  Frank remains active, eats well in general, and wounds are healing well.  Antibiotics were discontinued.  Is able to rest on the bottom of the tank, but rear end is occasionally observed elevated when at rest.

01/07/2017  Frank continues to behave normally and wound is still healing.

01/26/2017  Carapace wound has not quite healed.

03/20/2017  Frank had started experiencing buoyancy issues and floating in the large rehab. habitat, so he was moved back downstairs to a smaller rehab. pool at a low water level.  He was observed resting flat on the bottom today and ate well after the move.  The carapace wound is still very deep in one area, although the majority of the wound has healed well.  

04/10/2017  Frank continues to do well in the smaller rehab. pool.  He is eating everything offered, and is not floating at all.  Water level is raised to half full.

05/15/2017  Frank was again relocated to a larger, deeper rehab. enclosure to monitor bouyancy in a deeper body of water.

05/29/2017  Animal has been medically cleared for release by the veterinarians!

06/02/2017  Frank was released by Mote staff with the help of FWC and US Fish and Wildlife in 10,000 Islands today!