Mulligan

Green (Chelonia mydas)

(ST13004)

Age Class Juvenile
Gender Unknown
Date Stranded February 1, 2013
Location of Stranding Pine Island Sound, Lee County, Fl
Date of Arrival February 3, 2013
Number of Days of Care 133

Final Disposition

Euthanized


Mulligan upon admission

2/4 Turtle transferred to Mote from C.R.O.W. Rehabilitation Facility on Sanibel Island. Turtle has several fibropapilloma tumors of various sizes and a partially amputated left front flipper (this is an old wound).  Animal is active, alert and able to swim in the medical pool.

2/5 Blood work indicates low iron and hematocrit levels and very high white blood cell count. Turtle will be started on oral antibiotics. Mulligan is accepting food and foraging on its own.

2/24 Mulligan underwent surgery to remove papilloma tumors. The knob on the end of its left front flipper was also removed. Mulligan will be receiving antiobiotics. 

2/28 Turtle seems to be recovering well from surgery — great appetite and swimming fine.

4/28 Turtle underwent surgery to remove some tumors that had regrown.  Recovered well from surgery.

5/31 Antibiotics have been discontinued and started on iron injections. Turtle moved to large and deep medical pool with another turtle "Binx." The two are cohabitating well.

6/23 Due to the emergence of new fibropapillomas and the high probability of internal tumors, turtle was humanely euthanized. Subsequent necropsy confirmed several internal papillomas.

Happening at Mote

Fin Fact

Manatees make sounds—in fact, they make five different calls: squeaks, high squeaks, squeals, squeak-squeals, and chirps. They even have “graded” calls, meaning they can adjust a single call to convey more nuances of what they’re doing or how they’re feeling. Think of how a cat adjusts its “meow” when startled, happy, or excited. Mote scientists study manatee vocalizations to better understand the behavior of these imperiled mammals.

@motemarinelab #motemarinelab