Medical care and rehabilitation for the Stranding Response team’s recent sea turtle patients have been a huge undertaking...literally! Named after gems, loggerhead sea turtles Pearl, Alexandrite, and Diamond were admitted to the Darden Marine Animal Conservation Center (DMACC) last year for rehab. While most of the team's stranded sea turtle patients are either hooked on fishing lines in the warm months or cold-stunned during the cold months, these three stranded due to other issues, and were therefore categorized as "Otherwise Stranded" turtles. Each of them were of record-breaking sizes and weights compared to previous stranded turtles.
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Pearl
Pearl stranded at Croatan Beach on May 15 last year. Reported as struggling to swim, she was recovered and transported to the DMACC for assessment and treatment. With a shell measuring over 3 feet long, Pearl holds the record for the longest turtle in the program’s history. Weighing nearly 300 pounds on admit, she was also one of the heaviest stranded turtles recorded in Virginia. Pearl was successfully treated for lethargy, inappetence, and positive buoyancy and was cleared for release.
Alexandrite
Alexandrite, known as “Big Al,” was a 382-pound male that stranded on August 17. He was found minimally responsive and partially buried in sand on a barrier island along the Eastern Shore. Due to the remote location, the team carried the heavy turtle over a mile and a half to a boat for transport. Although Big Al initially responded well to emergency treatment and supportive care, his condition declined shortly after. Necropsy revealed a severe heart infection, likely resulting in his death. Although the outcome of Big Al’s care was unfortunate, necropsy samples collected to attempt to determine his age may provide insight into the species’ life history.
Diamond
Diamond, a 202-pound male turtle, was stranded near Oceanview on September 9. Upon arrival, Diamond was not breathing, and radiographs revealed a large amount of sand causing complete airway obstruction. After an emergency procedure to suction sand, mucus and over 1.5 liters of seawater from the trachea, he began breathing. Once stabilized, veterinarians also removed a large stingray barb from his tongue. Diamond continued to show slow improvement with ongoing supportive care to treat a jaw injury preventing eating and a severe lung infection, undergoing fluid therapy, antibiotics, pain medication, and nutritional support. This turtle did well in rehabilitation and was released back into the ocean in May.
Though challenging, response and rehabilitation of large turtles can be especially rewarding as reproductively mature individuals can continue contributing to population growth once released!
