Turtle on arrival.  Note injury to head from prop.

11/17 Turtle was found floating in the Banana River area.  It had been struck by a boat with a prop injury on the head and cranial carapace.  Radiographs revealed possible injury to the brain case.  Have scheduled an MRI to evaluate extent of injury.  Turtle is able to raise its head to breathe, but does not move otherwise.  Treatment has been begun. 11/20 Nathan Bowes and the staff of Bowes Imaging Center in Bradenton, Florida, graciously donated an MRI exam for this turtle last evening.  The MRI indicated some damage to the bone surrounding the brain, but no swelling or hematoma on the brain.  Prognosis is guarded, but we are more hopeful for a recovery from the wounds. 11/21 Turtle is a little stronger today and has been placed in deeper water.  Showing no interest in food, however. 11/29 Turtle is more responsive and more active.  Still no interest in food. 12/5 Turtle has begun to try to dive, but we are concerned that the turtle's vision may be impaired.  Planning a veterinary ophthalmology exam. 12/14 Turtle's pupils had been fixed and different sizes, but now are more normal.  Ophthalmologist was unable to determine vision as we were unable to dialate the pupils using the medications normally used for that.  We will be working on a new technique to get the pupils dialated and will try again. 12/26 Turtle is doing much better.  It is swimming and diving and will eat when hand-fed. 1/7 Continuing to do well, but eats only when hand-fed. 1/15 More of the same. 1/23 Turtle is actually getting fat being hand-fed, so had to decrease amount being fed.  Doing very well otherwise. 1/30 Wound on head is almost completely healed and turtle is doing well, except that it is likely blind. 3/4 We have placed the turtle in a much larger, deeper tank and the turtle is navigating it well, but definitely appears to be blind. 3/13 Continuing to do very well. 3/24 Turtle is now eating without being force-fed. 4/8 Doing very well. 4/30 Continuing to do very well. 5/17 Turtle is doing very well and is showing some signs of being able to see, at least from one eye. 5/30 Turtle is now in the tank with our resident manatees and is doing well. 6/20 Continuing to do well in the manatee tank. 7/25 More of the same. 8/28 Continues to do well. 10/6 Turtle has been declared unreleasable and will continue to live with the manatees at Mote.