King

Loggerhead (Caretta caretta)

(ST 0634)

Age Class Adult
Gender Male
Date Stranded April 26, 2006
Location of Stranding North end of Casey Key
Date of Arrival April 26, 2006
Number of Days of Care 336 days

Final Disposition

Released March 29, 2007 from Lido Beach

4/27 This large adult male loggerhead was found floating in the surf on Casey Key.  Turtle is anorexic and lethargic.  It has been started on fluids and antibiotics. 5/2 Turtle seems somewhat more responsive.  Has been placed in shallow water with flotation. 5/12 Turtle is still unable to swim or eat.  We are giving gruel daily via stomach tube.  Planning to do gastroscopy and bronchoscopy next week if not better by then. 5/21 Bronchoscopy revealed no problem with the lungs, but gastroscopy showed a severe enteritis in duodenum.  Medication has been changed and turtle is still receiving gruel each day.  Turtle seems stronger the last few days. 5/29 Still having to tube feed, but seems stronger.  Enteritis is better. 6/12 Not much change lately.  Still being tube fed. 6/21 No change or improvement evident except that white count has come down. 7/7 Still very little change.  Continuing to tube feed. 7/18 Turtle seems stronger and is beginning to raise its head to breathe.  Gaining weight from tube feeding. 7/24 Very slow improvement. 8/9 Turtle is now able to swim around the tank about 4 hours per day.  Continuing to slowly improve. 8/29 Turtle is finally able to swim some, so is no longer on a pad for flotation.  Has not yet begun to eat, but is now showing some interest in food. 9/3 Turtle is now staying in deeper water 24 hours per day.  Still not eating, however. 9/6 More of the same. 9/8 Turtle has been moved to a larger tank with deep water and is receiving physical therapy.  Turtle is now showing more interest in food and may be eating soon. 9/16 Turtle is no longer being tubed, but is now being force-fed.  Physical therapy seems to be improving the jaw tone. 9/22 Continuing to do very well, but still being force-fed.  10/1 More of the same. 10/7 Doing well but still not eating. 10/18 More of the same. 10/28 Slightly more use of the jaw, but still not eating. 11/15 Turtle is currently undergoing cold laser therapy to stimulate the jaw muscles.  We hope to see some change in the next few weeks. 11/28 Very little change despite new treatment. 12/8 No change.  Still being force-fed. 12/14 More of the same. 1/3/07 Still no change. 1/7 Turtle ate its first squid on its own today. 1/12 Today, for the first time, the turtle ate almost an entire meal on its own.  That is over 8 months before eating on its own!!! 1/15 Turtle is now eating three meals per day on its own. 1/18 Appetite is now excellent and turtle is doing VERY well. 1/24 Appetite continues to be great. 1/31 Turtle continues to eat very well. 2/28 Turtle is gaining weight and becoming more active.  May be releasable in a month or so. 3/15 Showing some reproductive behavior, which is a very good sign as it is almost mating time in the wild. 3/21 Turtle has been approved for release next week. 3/29 King was released this morning from Lido Beach.  More than a few people were very sad to see him leave, but all are happy that the turtle is now back HOME in the Gulf of Mexico.  A satellite transmitter was attached for tracking.  Go to http://www.seaturtle.org/tracking/?project_id=141&dyn=1163787985 to check on his progress.

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