A 182-pound loggerhead sea turtle treated by the South Carolina Aquarium Sea Turtle Rescue Program for more than thirteen months has fully recovered and is ready to return to the deep blue sea.
The public is invited to say goodbye to Briar on Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. at the Isle of Palms County Park.
The release is being held in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) and the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission (CCPRC).
Attendees should plan to carpool, arrive early, and expect to pay for parking at the county park.
Briar, an adult female loggerhead sea turtle stranded on the beach in Myrtle Beach in May of last year. She was found emaciated and severely anemic and her vital signs were dismal. Briar was also covered in barnacles as a result of her lethargic state while in the ocean.
Once admitted to the Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital, prognosis of her survival was questionable and staff came to work each morning with fingers crossed she was still alive. Over the next six months, Briar responded well to medical treatments and gained more than 50 pounds, putting her back in a healthy weight range.
But soon after, staff and volunteers noticed that Briar was having trouble finding food in her tank. Aquarium veterinarian Dr. Shane Boylan examined Briar’s eyes and discovered that she had developed cataracts which cause blindness.
Confronted with such a rare medical issue, Dr. Boylan consulted Dr. Anne Cook with Animal Eye Care of the Lowcountry, and in April 2014, Dr. Cook led a team in the surgical removal of the damaged lenses. Almost immediately after surgery, rescue staff could see a difference in Briar’s sight as she was able to track down and eat her normal diet of cut fish as well as live blue crabs.
This week Briar received a clean bill of health and is ready to be released back into the Atlantic Ocean.
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