Advertisement
it takes four people to carry him
an eager Loggerhead sea turtle is carried into the ocean after a year of attention in the Sea Turtle Hospital. Compare this photo to the one of him lying in the boat, covered in barnacles. Imagine being on the brink of death. Imagine being cooped up in a hospital room after a year of medical care and rehabilitation. The joy of returning to your home healed and rested can be a seen as a miracle. If turtles could turn up their boney beaks and smile, these photos would be full of toothy grins. These Sea Turtles are back in the ocean after many months, if not years of specialized care given to them at the Sea Turtle Hospital in Topsail Beach, North Carolina.
Their care is due to the non-stop dedication of the hospital's founder and director Jean Beasley, and scores of volunteers, interns and doctors.
Fifteen years ago, in the summer of 1996, she and a few friends named a sea turtle "Lucky". This turtle had been hit by a boat and was brought to her to see if anything could be done for it. At the time, she was overseeing the monoriting of sea turtle nests along the beach of her town, but as yet had never attempted to minister to an injured turtle. Turtle hospitals are not uncommon, as there are facilities up and down the East coast. But not here, not
he can almost touch the sea
returning to the Atlantic Ocean, healthy and ready to swim away. at that time.
So, "Lucky" was lucky to have a little plastic kid's swimming pool rigged up for him under a plastic tarp next to the waterway. Jean and her buddies tended to him and thus the inseption of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue Center was formed.
With the arrival warm weather, the turtle nesting season has begun here in North Carolina. This means that these girls are swimming just off the beach, waiting for the night's high tides to come ashore and deposit her eggs. It is also boating season, so she is surrounded by boats cutting through the ocean, and many times into the backs of these great turtles. Unfortunately, the drivers never even know what they have run over. If the trauma doesn't kill the trutle on impact, the injured turtles will slowly grow weak and eventually wash up on the beach. But with more sea turtle awareness education to boaters, sometimes some one will see the turtle and report it to the local authorities. She will end up at the turtle hospital and with luck and medical attention, released back into the ocean, with an identification tag, and the good wishes of the 2010, a very sick turtle rests in the boat
he is covered in barnacles and sea weed. a sign that he has not been able to swim fast and the parasites are able to attach and live on his body. photo taken by his rescuer Lucy Gee turtle people.
In addition to the boat injuries, turtles are susceptible to garbage floating in the water and to viruses. The later will weaken a turtle and she will float unable to dive below the surface. And the trash in the ocean is mistaken for their favorite food, jelly fish and ingested, causing a slow death.
Our Loggerhead sea turtle "Remembrance" was apparantly one of those turtles effected by a virus. As you can see in the photos he was covered in barnacles and sea weed. So weak that he could not dive under the water to feed. While out on the ocean enjoying the 2010 "Memorial Day" holiday, the Gee family spotted him and rescued him from certain death. They are friends with our local Sea Turtle Coordinator, Nancy, and quickly made arraingments to meet her at the pier near the Sea Turtle Hospital in the near by town of Topsail Island. Fast forwad to Memorial Day week 2011. This beautiful healthy, and "clean" turtle is released. He is accompanied by the Gee family and the sponsoring school childen. Weighing in at around 150 pounds, he will hopefully grow to weigh 250 pounds and live many more decades,
a crowd gathers at the release site
North Carolina is at the northern end of the sea turtle nesting area of the Atlantic. thanks to the efforts, time and concern of the folks living on North Carolina's sunny beaches.
Our little hospital is over flowing with patients ready to be sent back to their ocean home. This day 20 some turtles, of different species were released. I lost count trying to get pictures and not get my camera wet! If you have any interest or questions, please leave us a comment. link to the sea turtle hospital.
Many of the bloggers on this site have posted lovely photos of the beaches and waters they visit. I can't close this entry without asking you to please keep the beaches you visit clean of garbage and become responsible for the oceans and the sea life within.
Industry and individuals are connected to these great turtles more closely than we are aware. Become aware of where you spend your money for products that you use. Shipping industries, commercial fishing, residents of the coastal properties, and the recreational boater are all responsible for managing and guarding the life of the sea.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.31s; Tpl: 0.017s; cc: 34; qc: 161; dbt: 0.1965s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.4mb
liliram
liliram
What a wonderful story!
Bless them who rescued the turtle, nursed it back to health, and brought it back home. Bless them, indeed! thanks for sharing this. makes my day!