Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)
Stranding Location: Folly Beach, SC
Arrival Date: 9/20/25
Age: Subadult
Sex: Unknown
Weight: 16.24 kg (35.7 lbs.)
Case History
Milkweed was transported to the Aquarium after being accidentally hooked by a fisherman at the Folly Beach Pier. Many thanks to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) volunteers who transported this patient to the Aquarium for help!
Treatment
Upon arrival, Milkweed was bright, alert and very feisty. A physical exam showed that other than being caught on a fishing hook, s/he had some minor abrasions and bruising but was otherwise healthy. This physical exam also revealed that Milkweed is only a few centimeters shy of being classified as an adult! We rarely care for this size class of Kemp’s ridleys, making Milkweed quite a unique case. Since s/he swallowed a fishhook, we took a quick x-ray to assess the position of the hook. This revealed that the fishhook was in the esophagus but shallow enough that we felt we might be able to remove it through the mouth. As we planned the hook removal procedure, we decided that the best course of action was to cut the fishhook into smaller pieces.
This technique was successful in removing the majority of the fishhook but the final piece required a small incision be made in the side of the neck. We applied lidocaine to numb the area, made an incision in the neck and esophagus and removed the last piece of the fishhook. We quickly sutured this incision and reversed Milkweed’s sedation medications to “wake” her/him up.
Milkweed made a speedy recovery and was placed in a tank in Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery™ shortly thereafter!
Inspiration for Milkweed’s name stems from the annual fall migration of monarch butterflies. During this season, millions of these butterflies will pass through South Carolina, feeding on the nectar from native milkweed plants before they continue their migration south.
Updates
September 23, 2025: Milkweed continues to do well but has proven to be a picky eater. We are trying different food items daily to encourage interest. Keep your flippers crossed for us in finding the winning combination of seafood!
October 15, 2025: Since arriving, we have offered Milkweed more than 10 types of seafood with limited to no interest. This is common for Kemp’s ridley’s of this size class and is not deeply concerning. While we keep trying different types of food, Milkweed is receiving supplementary fluid treatments. We will continue trying to get to the bottom of this picky patient’s preferences!
November 8, 2025: In the last month, Milkweed gained a strong appetite and was finally eating shrimp, lake smelt and mackerel reliably! With such a strong interest in food, and the small incision on the neck from removing the hook being fully healed, we were able to quietly release Milkweed today at Folly Beach County Park!