Eagle

Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)

Stranding Location: MassachusettsArrival Date: 11/20/2014Age: JuvenileWeight: 3.0 kg (~7 lb.)

Case History

Eagle is one of fifteen sea turtles transferred from the New England Aquarium (NEAq) to the South Carolina Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital on November 20, 2014. This Kemp’s ridley was one of more than a thousand sea turtles afflicted with severe hypothermia and recovered (alive or dead) from the beaches and nearshore waters of Massachusetts during an unprecedented cold-stunning event in late November 2014. Thanks to the generosity of a private flight donated by Margie and Will Dorminy, owners of Southern Eagle Distributing in Charleston, we are proud to be one of more than 17 facilities nationwide to aid NEAq in caring for the massive number of threatened and endangered sea turtles stranded due to this cold-stunning event.

Treatment

Eagle was the fourth turtle recovered due to cold-stunning in Massachusetts on November 14th. Moderately covered in algae and missing numerous digits from both the rear flippers, this turtle was given fluids, antibiotics, and a vitamin B injection by the team at NEAq upon admission to their hospital. Eagle’s physical condition upon arrival to South Carolina on the 20th was relatively good; this ridley’s eyes were clear, his dermal abrasions were minimal, and food was visible on his x-rays. Prognosis is good and, considering his decent physical condition, Eagle will hopefully be one of the first cold-stuns in our hospital to be released back into the wild.

Release Date

February 10, 2015

Release Location

Cape Canaveral National Seashore