Loggerhead (Caretta caretta)
Stranding Location: Wellfleet, MA
Arrival Date: 12/11/2018
Age: Juvenile
Weight: 119.6 kgs (43 lbs)
Case History
Neville Longbottom stranded as a cold stun on a beach in Wellfleet, Massachusetts on December 4, 2018 and was quickly transported to the New England Aquarium (NEAq) to be triaged. Veterinary staff at NEAq did bloodwork, administered fluids and started Neville on a course of antibiotics and slowly increased his body temperature. After about a week, Neville was cleared for transport and was flown down to Charleston with four other juvenile loggerhead sea turtles, thanks to pilots Chuck Yanke and Mike Lalley from the organization Turtles Fly Too. Turtles Fly Too is a network of private pilots who help transport cold stunned sea turtles to facilities all along the east coast. Sea Turtle Care Center (STCC) staff met Chuck, Mike, and the turtles at the Mount Pleasant Regional Airport to finish their transport to the STCC.
Treatment
Neville did great during his flight down to Charleston, and his body temperature was normal at arrival. Vet staff did a physical exam, administered fluids and continued the course of antibiotics to prevent any secondary infections caused by cold stunning, such as pneumonia (lung infection) or osteomyelitis (bone infection). Neville had an abrasion in the right eye, likely caused by surf or the cold air when he stranded. Our vet staff did another eye exam and decided to continue ophthalmic antibiotic drops to help heal it up. Once he was through the admitting process, he was placed in a divided tank with Draco Malfoy.
Updates
December 15th, 2018: Neville is doing great! Though he was not eating well before being transferred here, he started eating a few days after admit. Neville is being pulled biweekly for antibiotic injections and is receiving eye medication to treat the abrasion in his right eye.
January 15th, 2019: Neville has finished up his antibiotics. We will pull him for a weight and measurement, and CT scan next week to check on his lungs.
January 1, 2019: Neville is almost finished with his antibiotic injections and is eating well and defecating regularly. Neville’s eye has healed up, and he is no longer receiving eye meds. Way to go, Neville!
January 15, 2019: Neville has finished up his antibiotics and is now just cruising. We will pull him for a weight and measurement, and CT scan next week to check out his lungs.
February 1, 2019: Neville was pulled for a CT scan of his lungs and everything looked good. He’s eating well, and, overall, is doing wonderfully.
February 15, 2019: Much like his tank mate, Draco, Neville is also doing well! Neville will be pulled for a monthly weight and measurement along with a physical exam by our vet staff next week.
March 1, 2019: Along with his tank mate Draco, Neville is also doing swimmingly well! When he was pulled for a weight check and physical exam he had gained some weight and grown a little as well!
March 15, 2019: Neville was also one of the the seven turtles that we tagged last week! During tagging day, he received a physical exam, blood draw and received flipper tags on the back of front flippers as well as a P.I.T. tag underneath the skin. Once released, these tags help us identify these individuals if they are ever encountered in the wild, or on a beach again. We have sent off bloodwork to be evaluated and are awaiting those results. Like tank-mate Draco, Neville is looking nice and healthy and will hopefully be ready for release soon!
March 25, 2019: Neville Longbottom was released offshore! After being found cold-stunned on the beaches of Cape Cod in December and admitted to New England Aquarium for initial triage, he was then flown down to the Sea Turtle Care Center by our friends at Turtle Fly Too for continued rehabilitation. Think of all of the hands that helped in getting Neville back home to the Atlantic!
Release Date
March 25, 2019
Release Location
Offshore