3 sea turtles released off SC coast (+ video)
Three sea turtles, including two loggerheads and one green, are once again swimming the open ocean, after being treated in the South Carolina Aquarium Sea Turtle Rescue Program.
Buck, McAdoo and Bohicket were released Tuesday, World Oceans Day, at the Isle of Palms County Park near Charleston. The release marks 166 threatened and endangered sea turtles rehabilitated and released into the wild by the Sea Turtle Rescue Program. The release was held in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission.
About the sea turtles:
McAdoo: McAdoo, a 50-pound loggerhead sea turtle was found in Myrtle Beach in August suffering from a boat strike and a shark bite. The boat strike wound extended through McAdoo’s right upper jaw, and his/her right front flipper was mauled by a shark. Upon admission, McAdoo was also found to be anemic and emaciated. Staff administered fluids, antibiotics, vitamins, blood medication and pain medication, as well as provided wound treatment for the flipper and old boat strike. Intensive treatment continued for months, including cold laser therapy that helped accelerate the healing process.
Buck: Buck, a 105-pound loggerhead sea turtle, was found floating by the dock at Buck Hall Plantation in McClellanville in July. Upon admission, Buck showed no signs of trauma, however was dehydrated and lethargic, and displayed neurological symptoms including odd swimming behavior, floating and lockjaw. Treatment for Buck included antibiotics, fluids, vitamins and manual exercise to Buck’s jaw to treat the lockjaw symptoms. Buck also underwent treatment for cataracts. After a few months of care Buck began to show improvement, eating on his/her own and exhibiting better equilibrium and buoyancy control. After close to a year of intensive care, Buck’s movements finally became completely normal and the turtle was cleared for release.
Bohicket: Bohicket, a juvenile green sea turtle, was found floating at the Bohicket Marina on Johns Island in April. Once at the Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital, x-rays confirmed a large amount of gas in the gastrointestinal tract due to a blockage. Bohicket received supportive care in the form of antibiotics, vitamins and fluids. After five days of treatment Bohicket passed the blockages in his/her GI tract, which contained pieces of plastic. After a month and a half of care, Bohicket was cleared for release.
To learn more about the expansion of the Sea Turtle Rescue Program, visit scaquarium.org/sth-expand.
South Carolina Aquarium