Nine sea turtles that were undergoing rehabilitation at the South Carolina Aquarium Sea Turtle Care Center were released Feb. 8 into the warm blue waters off of Little Talbot Island State Park in Jacksonville, Florida. This group of patients was a mix of juvenile Kemp’s ridley and green sea turtles who were initially admitted to the Care Center for cold stunning and hook and line injuries.
Sea turtles can become cold stunned and suffer from hypothermia when they are unable to regulate their body temperature due to a rapid change in the temperature of their surrounding environment. The seven cold stun patients – Capricorn, Libra, Mars, Pisces, Saturn, Venus and Virgo – were initially stranded in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in December, before they were rescued by the New England Aquarium and transported to the South Carolina Aquarium. Biologists and vet staff worked tirelessly managing various side effects, including pneumonia, gastrointestinal stress, eye lesions and anemia, prior to clearing them for release.
The remaining two sea turtles released yesterday include Shredder and Jo – both Kemp’s ridley sea turtles – that were admitted to the Care Center this past fall after being caught on hook and line along the South Carolina coast.
Jo was named in honor of Charleston Coffee Roasters, a local business that shares the Aquarium’s commitment to protect this species. As lead sponsor of the Charleston Coffee Roasters Nutritional Care Program, they help provide nutritional care for Jo and all of the animals that call the Aquarium home. When she was admitted, Jo had a large hook in her esophagus that needed to be surgically removed, as well as a corneal ulcer in her left eye. Jo’s rehabilitation journey was closely followed by a growing group of fans celebrating alongside her as she met every milestone.
The South Carolina Aquarium, Charleston’s No.1 family attraction, is home to more than 5,000 animals, from river otters and sharks to sea turtles and shorebirds. The Sea Turtle Care Center is a working hospital dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of sick and injured sea turtles. While fulfilling its mission to promote education, conservation and an exceptional visitor experience, the Aquarium also presents sweeping views of the Charleston Harbor along with interactive exhibits and programs for visitors of all ages.
For more information on the Sea Turtle Care Center, visit scaquarium.org/stcc
