CROW releases sea turtle admitted for red tide poisoning
The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife released an adult, female loggerhead sea turtle — the largest of the hard-shelled turtles and frequent nester on Southwest Florida beaches — on Sanibel on May 4 after treating the turtle for brevetoxicosis, also known as red tide poisoning.
The turtle was rescued on March 17 after it stranded on the beach on Don Pedro Island in Charlotte County. It was transported to CROW where veterinarians found it to be very weak, thin and covered in barnacles, but showing no other signs of trauma, such as a boat strike. The turtle’s condition led the veterinarians to suspect it was suffering from brevetoxicosis.
After the initial exam, staff started the turtle on an intravenous lipid emulsion therapy to help combat the toxins in its body. They also began a course of antibiotics to treat any possible infection as a secondary result of gastrointestinal issues that are commonly associated with red tide poisoning. The following day, the turtle was placed in a shallow freshwater tank to help with hydration and to kill the barnacles and other organisms growing on its shell. As its condition improved, rehabilitation staff increased the water depth and salinity in the tank.
Over the next few weeks the turtle improved greatly and it began eating a healthy amount of squid and fish. A loggerhead turtle will eat 2 percent to 3 percent of its body weight in squid and fish each day. For a turtle weighing over 170 pounds, that is a lot of food, CROW reported. After nearly seven weeks in recovery, the turtle was consistently gaining back weight and veterinarians cleared it for release.
In accordance with marine turtle permits, the loggerhead was tagged with a flipper tag and passive integrated transponder or PIT prior to its release. It was released on the beach in front of the West Wind Inn Resort on West Gulf Drive, just in time for the start of sea turtle nesting season.
Sea turtle nesting season runs from May through October. During that time, hundreds of loggerheads will come ashore to lay their eggs. It is important for beach-goers to remember that they can “Be a Life Saver” and give nesting turtles and hatchlings a greater chance of survival by following a few simple tips.
– Only use sea turtle-friendly lighting on the beach at night so that turtles do not get disoriented.
– Fill in holes made while visiting the beach and remove all trash or belongings that can cause obstacles for turtles.
– Do not disturb nesting sea turtles or sea turtle nests. If you see a turtle nesting or hatchlings emerging, observe from a safe distance.
– Call for help if you find a turtle that is sick or injured. Contact CROW at 239-472-3644, Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation’s Sea Turtle Hotline at 978-728-3663 or Florida Fish and Wildlife at 888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922).
For more information on protecting sea turtles, visit https://sancaplifesavers.org/sea-turtles/.