Sea Turtles are among the most cherished of reptiles in the world. And along the South Carolina coast, they’re not only cherished, they’re protected – in many ways. From groups that protect the sea turtle’s eggs and hatching season to a little known sea turtle hospital that comes to the rescue of injured and sick sea turtles in need. If you’ve never heard of the sea turtle hospital found in Charleston then you’re not alone. It’s not a spot that makes the news on the regular but it’s doing wonderful things to help protect several species of sea turtles. Let’s take a look:
The South Carolina Aquarium is home to the Sea Turtle Care Center, a hospital of sorts that tends to the needs of sick and injured sea turtles from all seven endangered species.
The facility is an absolute delight for kids - and kids at heart. Among the many creatures you'll find here are several sea tutles, including Loggerhead, Green, and the Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle.
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Turtles are such docile creatures, going peacefully about their business with seemingly not a single aggressive pound of flesh in their body.
But the ocean can be an unforgiving place in which to live, especially for the endangered sea turtles. All too often, authorities receive calls of distress from humans who encounter a sea turtle who is suffering, injured, or afflicted with another malady.
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Take the 150-pound loggerhead named Huntington that was treated at the Sea Turtle Care Center in 2013.
When she arrived, she had a bowel impaction that trapped a pocket of air so large in her intestine that she floated along the surface, unable to submerge to look for food. The blockage was caused by a dense concentration of scallop shells that had collected in her intestines.
Without the help of the Sea Turtle Care Center Huntington may not have survived. But the care center quickly assessed the situation and began tube feeding Huntington mineral and cod liver oils to help her pass the obstruction.
It also administered regular massage therapy to help the mass break free of it's stronghold within the intestines. After six weeks of treatment the shells passed and Huntington was returned to eating solid food. She was among the lucky sea turtles in need that find their way to the Sea Turtle Care Center in Charleston.
The most common injuries the center sees among newly admitted sea turtle patients are complete shock from exposure to cold temperatures, debilitated turtle syndrome evidenced by malnutrition, starvation, fatigue and lethargy, and injuries from the motors of boats or shark bites.
New patients are immediately and expertly diagnosed and a specific treatment regimen is put into place for each individual.
All hopes are to help the sea turtle recover as quickly as possible to return them to their wild, natural habitat so that they can become reproductive members of the sea turtle community at large.
We feel so very fortunate to have such a facility right here in South Carolina. Thanks to the folks at the South Carolina Aquarium for making this wonderful venture possible!
