Green (Chelonia mydas)

Stranding Location: Hunting Island, SC
Arrival Date: 4/19/26
Age: Juvenile
Sex: Unknown
Weight: 3.73 kg (8.21 lbs)

Case History

This juvenile green was accidentally hooked by a fisherman at Hunting Island State Park, which was reported to be stuck to the right side of the carapace. The angler removed the hook from the sea turtle’s carapace. Despite having no visible injuries from the fishhook, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) elected to bring Green Goddess to the Aquarium due to lethargy and a heavy load of epibiota on the carapace.

Treatment

Upon admit, Green Goddess was alert and active. We checked the carapace where the fishhook was said to have been removed and didn’t see any visible wounds but we did note wounds where barnacles had possibly been removed. It is likely that a well-intentioned angler attempted to remove the barnacles to help Green Goddess. It’s important to remind everyone that if you ever find a stranded sea turtle with barnacles, please do not attempt to remove them! Barnacles are living creatures that attach themselves with a very strong adhesive and removing them forcefully can cause more damage than good. We took radiographs to check for other fishhooks that might have been swallowed. Luckily, there were no other fishhooks found inside Green Goddess’s mouth or throat! When we checked Green Goddess’s eyes, we found an ulcer in the left eye which was treated with eye drops. This patient’s bloodwork came back relatively normal and we finished up by administering antibiotics, fluids and vitamins. Because Green Goddess was alert and active, we put her/him in a tank in our basement hospital to test her/his swimming abilities. Green Goddess was swimming strongly and coming to the surface easily for breaths, so we felt comfortable leaving her/him in the tank overnight.