Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)
Stranding Location: Garden City Pier, SC
Arrived: 6/5/24
Age: Juvenile
Sex: Unknown
Weight: 2.59 kg (5.7 lbs)
Case History
This juvenile Kemp’s ridley was hooked by a fisherman on the Garden City Pier. While the hook was easily removed at the pier, the turtle was noted to have multiple circular wounds across her/his body that needed treatment. It is important that turtles caught on hook and line get examined by professionals because there are often other injuries or ailments that they are suffering from. Our thanks to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources permitted volunteers who transported this patient to the Aquarium!
Treatment
On admit, this small patient was alert and moderately active. We examined the wounds closely and determined that they were shallow and showed early signs of healing! This is great news for Bagel! We administered fluids, vitamins, antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory pain medication to help this patient feel better. In addition to the external wounds on Bagel, radiographs showed signs of pneumonia in her/his lungs. Bagel was alert and responsive throughout the exam, so we swim tested her/him in a shallow tank of water. Bagel was active, but appeared a little too lethargic to be left alone in deep water overnight, so s/he stayed in one of our tried and true kiddie pools!
Updates
June 11, 2024: In the days following admit, Bagel impressed staff by eating right away! With new patients we start with a couple of pieces of fish for a few days to ensure healthy digestion before giving them a weighted diet according to their body weight. Bagel has already graduated to a weighted diet! Additionally, Bagel came out for a CT today to confirm the depth of her/his wounds and they look superficial with no signs of gas in the internal body cavity. This is great news for Bagel!
July 15, 2024: Bagel’s wounds are healing well so far and this patient is eating a hefty diet in hopes of packing on some weight. Bagel recently moved to a larger tank up in Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery™ where visitors can enjoy seeing this active little Kemp’s ridley in action.
August 15, 2024: Since last month, Bagel has continued to gain weight and the wounds are healing spectacularly! While out for a recent checkup, SCDNR assisted with tagging this turtle for release down the road. With a little more time and TLC, the wounds should fully heal and Bagel will be ready to head back to the wild!
September 15, 2024: Bagel was examined at the beginning of the month and her/his wounds have healed great! The bloodwork, however, indicated that Bagel’s underlying issues haven’t fully resolved yet. Fortunately, with Bagel now eating well, we were able to start a series of oral antibiotics and avoid having to pull this patient for more injections. Fingers crossed for continued healing for Bagel and a speedy recovery!