Marathon’s Turtle Hospital is currently caring for one of the largest patients in its four-decade history of aquatic rescues – and early signs are pointing to a successful return to the ocean.
On July 19, rescuers from the U.S. Coast Guard Station Key West responded to reports of a massive turtle swimming erratically at the water’s surface about 10 miles offshore. They brought the loggerhead safely to land, where she made the trip to the Middle Keys for rehab at the Turtle Hospital, tipping the scales at just under 300 pounds.
As is Turtle Hospital tradition, the turtle’s rescuers earned the honor of naming her, settling on “Timmy” for the reptile estimated to be between 70 and 80 years old.
Initial treatment at the Turtle Hospital included fluids and broad-spectrum antibiotics, in-house bloodwork, collection of blood plasma for biotoxin screening and additional blood samples for offsite blood cultures.
Speaking to the Weekly on July 28, Turtle Hospital manager Bette Zirkelbach said Timmy remains on an upward trajectory, exhibiting normal behaviors and eating in her smaller initial rehab tank. Blood results are still pending.
“At first we were afraid she might have a neurological condition, but she’s not exhibiting any of those signs, which is a good thing,” said Zirkelbach. “If you’ve ever seen turtles mating at the surface, they’re kind of erratic. My theory is that she may have been mating, and a boat startled her, or maybe she got brushed by a boat, because she does have a little mark on her head and neck, but we really will never know.”
Zirkelbach said her team remains cautiously optimistic, and that a swim in the hospital’s 160,000-gallon tidal pool is the next step if Timmy continues her current trend.
She’s the second massive turtle in as many years for the hospital, which treated the 322-pound loggerhead ‘Lenny’ last year.
“I looked at measurements, and (Timmy’s) width is 1.2 centimeters smaller than Lenny,” Zirkelbach said. “She really is close to one of the biggest turtles we’ve ever seen.”
With increased boat traffic for the summer season, boat strikes and ingestion hazards from discarded fishing line, gear and other litter are two of the top threats facing sea turtle populations around the globe.
If you see a turtle in distress in the Florida Keys, call the hospital’s 24/7 emergency hotline at 305-481-7669. In other locations, call FWC at 888-404-3922.
