Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)

Stranding Location: Folly Beach, SC
Arrival Date: 12/10/25
Age: Juvenile
Sex: Unknown
Weight: 3.7 kg (8.14 lbs)

Case History

Spotted by a fisherman, this juvenile green sea turtle was lethargic and floating in the Folly River on a chilly day. S/he was rescued and safely transported to the Aquarium by a permitted South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) volunteer. Camellia was underweight and had a large amount of sand, algae and barnacles on her/his carapace (back shell) which indicated that s/he had been debilitated for a prolonged period of time.

Treatment

Camellia was quiet upon arrival and had an internal body temperature of 54 degrees Fahrenheit, which is considered cold stunned. We started with an external exam which revealed s/he was underweight and had an ulcer in the right eye. As expected with a cold reptile, Camellia’s heart and respiration rates were slow. Throughout the intake process, however, Camellia was alert and reactive which was a good sign. Additionally, radiographs revealed pneumonia in Camellia’s lungs, so s/he was prescribed antibiotics, fluids, vitamins and eye drops before we moved her/him to the surgical suite to rest and gradually warm up. We are able to adjust the thermostats in each room of the med lab to ensure that our cold-stunned patients don’t warm up too quickly.

Updates

December 15, 2025: Once Camellia’s body temperature gradually warmed to within five degrees of the tank water temperature, we did a swim test to make sure s/he was strong enough to stay in the tank. Thankfully, s/he settled in quickly and was alert and swimming calmly in these new surroundings with no difficulty. Soon after, we offered some fish and lettuce. While Camellia only showed a small amount of interest initially, we are hopeful that with time her/his appetite will kick in. Camellia’s activity level is slowly improving and we are encouraged by the progress s/he has made so far!

January 15, 2026: In the past month, Camellia began eating a weighted diet, defecating regularly and interacting with enrichment! All of these behaviors are signs that a sea turtle patient is beginning to improve. Camellia still has quite a few issues from her/his bloodwork that need to clear up before release, so Camellia is still being pulled for antibiotic, fluid and calcium injections. Come see Camellia in Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery™!