After 10 months of recovery at the South Carolina Aquarium Sea Turtle Rescue Program, two sea turtles, Miss Royal and Nud, have been returned to the Atlantic Ocean.
The sea turtles were released, by boat, in the Gulf Stream, made possible by Kevin and Sandra Gary who provided the boat, where the water temperature is above 70 degrees. Sea turtles are cold blooded, which means they must be released in 70 degree water in order to go back into the wild.
Both sea turtles were brought to the Aquarium last June. The female loggerhead sea turtle, Miss Royal, was discovered off of Beaufort County. She had a propeller wound on her right side of her shell extending through her right rear flipper. The rescue team was flush and treat the wounds, and successfully removed the damaged portion of the flipper.
The male loggerhead sea turtle, Nud, was found stranded on Debordieu Beach, Georgetown S.C., with a skin
infection that caused a decline in heath. He received fluids, vitamin and antibiotic injections, topical antibiotics and antifungal cream for the skin and laser treatment to help accelerate the healing process.
The South Carolina Aquarium Sea Turtle Rescue Program admits 20 to 30 sea turtles a year, many of which are in critical condition and cannot be saved. The South Carolina Department of National Resources says, over the last ten years, 113 sea turtles have been found stranded on South Carolina beaches. About 10 percent are alive and successfully transported to the Sea Turtle Hospital.
To date, the Aquarium has successfully rehabilitated and released 107 sea turtles and is currently treating 18. Average cost is 36 dollars a day, with an average stay of nine months.
To donate to the Aquarium’s Sea Turtle hospital, click here.
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