Green (Chelonia mydas)
Stranding Location: Isle of Palms, SC
Arrival Date: 1/10/25
Age: Juvenile
Sex: Unknown
Weight: 3.25 kg (7.17 lbs)
Case History
This juvenile green sea turtle was found in the tideline on Isle of Palms in brisk 37 degree Fahrenheit weather. Snowdrop was rescued and safely transported to the Aquarium by South Carolina Department of Natural Resources permitted volunteers. Upon arrival, we thought the name Snowdrop was fitting as it is January’s birth flower, and some people even claimed they had seen snow that day in Charleston!
Treatment
Snowdrop was quiet on arrival and was a frosty 42 degrees F internally. This is very cold for a sea turtle! We began by assessing Snowdrop for any additional issues, and discovered an ulcer on the left eye and a few spots that might prove to be frostbite lesions in time. Snowdrop was covered in epibiota, including some hair algae that almost made it look like s/he had eyebrows, so as that comes off we will get a better external look. We took a blood sample to assess how things were looking internally, and found that although Snowdrop was breathing, gas exchange was limited. Because of this, we decided to take a CT scan to get a better look at her/his lungs. Overall, the CT appeared fairly normal, and we believe that gas exchange will improve as Snowdrop slowly comes up to a normal temperature. Since Snowdrop’s internal temperature was so cold, we started her/him with vitamins, fluids with sugar, calcium and prescription eyedrops. In time, and once s/he is warm enough, we will add antibiotics as well.
To allow Snowdrop to warm up slowly, we lowered the thermostat in our surgical suite and dry-docked her/him there overnight.
Updates
January 15, 2025: After a couple days of gradual warming in the surgical suite, Snowdrop was ready to be tested in a shallow tank with water matching her/his new body temperature. We were pleased to see that Snowdrop settled in quickly and was alert and calmly swimming in the new surroundings with no difficulty. Soon after, this little green was offered a small amount of fish and veggies, and immediately showed interest and began eating. We will continue to gradually increase the diet and tank depth as Snowdrop builds strength and becomes more stable. So far, we are really pleased with the progress that Snowdrop has made so quickly after arriving with such a low body temperature!
February 15, 2025: In the last few weeks, Snowdrop has been eating extremely well and has gained back a lot of strength. Because of this, we began increasing the water depth, and Snowdrop looks great in a full tank of water!