Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)

Stranding Location: Hunting Island, SC
Arrival Date: 8/3/25
Age: Juvenile
Sex: Unknown
Weight: 3.58kg (7.88 lbs)

Case History

This juvenile Kemp’s ridley sea turtle was accidentally hooked by a fisherman at the Hunting Island Fishing Pier. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) permitted volunteers jumped into action and safely transported this patient to the Aquarium for treatment. We thank everyone involved in this rescue and transport!

Treatment

Upon arrival, this little turtle was very active, taking great breaths and in overall good health, all things considered! The fishhook was safely removed at the pier, but the reason Plumeria was brought in was due to an interesting abnormality with the left front flipper. The distal tip (far end) of the front flipper had sustained an injury that caused it to heal completely inverted.

There were two options to consider: leave it be or amputate the injured portion. On one hand, it did not appear to be affecting the patient negatively. It was healed, not infected and Plumeria was in good health. Even though it was not currently causing an issue, we found that it was definitely not helping. While Plumeria was able to swim okay, the injured portion of the flipper bent and dangled at an angle which was impacting the swim pattern and causing Plumeria to exert a lot of effort to navigate the water column. As this patient continues to grow, the flipper tip could get snagged on obstacles and cause more damage. Additionally, if this turtle is female, the injury could create problems when crawling on the beach while nesting.

After analyzing all possible scenarios and treatment plans, we decided to amputate the deformed part of the flipper. Sea turtles are resilient and compensate quickly for missing portions of limbs. We have scheduled this surgery for later in the week once Plumeria settles in. In the meantime, we have been offering a variety of food options and supplementing with subcutaneous fluids!

Updates

August 15, 2025: Plumeria had amputation surgery on August 8 and has been doing a wonderful job recovering! The surgical site is healing well and s/he was able to return to the tank shortly after surgery. We have been monitoring her/him closely and as Plumeria continues to adjust, we will slowly increase the depth of the tank water. In the past few days, Plumeria has also regained her/his appetite and is eating ravenously. We are very proud of this little Kemp’s!

September 15, 2025: Plumeria has been a model patient! S/he is eating all of the food we offer, taking vitamins well and is gaining weight. On top of that, Plumeria’s amputation site was so well healed that we were able to remove the sutures! S/he is one step closer to release!

September 23, 2025: Plumeria was released alongside Begonia at Folly Beach County Park!