Mystic

Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)

(ST0441)

Age Class Juvenile
Gender Unknown
Date Stranded August 3, 2003
Location of Stranding Newport, RI
Date of Arrival June 28, 2004
Number of Days of Care 304 days

Final Disposition

Released April 28, 2005 off St. Augustine, Florida

This turtle was rescued by boaters in Rhode Island and taken to Mystic Aquarium for rehabilitation. Turtle had severe injury to left eye which left it blind in that eye. It was transferred to the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital because it was getting too big for the tank in which it was being housed. 7/14 Turtle is doing very well and gaining weight. 7/21 Turtle continues to do well and gain weight. 8/5 Continuing to do well. 8/19 Continues to do well. 8/30 Slow improvement. 9/9 Liver values have gone down slightly. 9/21 Continued slow improvement. 10/9 Liver values continue to improve very slowly. Doing well otherwise. 11/4 Continued slow improvement. 11/18 More of the same. 12/9 Continued slow improvement. 12/15 More of the same. 1/5/05 Continuing to improve slowly. 1/23 Liver values are finally back to normal. 2/6 Continuing to do well. Taking the turtle off all medication to see if liver values will remain low. 2/15 Turtle continues to do well. We have received permission to release the turtle as soon as the water temperature is a little higher. 3/31 Turtle is still doing well. Waiting for water temperature to be somewhat higher, possibly in the next two weeks. 4/23 Preparing to release the turtle next week. Have offered live crabs and the turtle was able to catch and eat them, so should do well in the wild. 4/28 Turtle was released this morning off St. Augustine, Florida.


Frontal view


Lateral view

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