Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)
Stranding Location: Saint’s Landing, Brewster, MA
Arrival Date: 12/05/2012
Age: juvenile
Weight: 1.3 kg (~3 lb.)
Case History
Saint is one of more than 230 live sea turtles that stranded as part of an unprecedented mass cold-stunning event in Massachusetts during November and December 2012. Thanks to the generosity of multiple donors, including pilots Neil McCann and Gary Davis (also owner of Davis Air, Inc.), 10 of these sea turtles were flown from the New England Aquarium’s (NEAq) Marine Animal Rescue Program to the South Carolina Aquarium on December 5th, 2012. Multiple East Coast facilities have banded together to help the overloaded NEAq by taking transferred sea turtles, and the SCA is proud to be a part of this effort.
Treatment
Saint was mildly dehydrated upon arrival, so we administered lactated ringers subcutaneously. Radiographs revealed a hypoinflated left lung field, which will be monitored regularly. Saint was in somewhat rough shape upon arrival with plastron lesions and small areas of exposed bone on his carapace, but this tiny ridley should recover well.
Updates
4 March 2013: Saint’s physical today revealed no health issues. He may be a candidate for release very soon!
Release Date
06/18/2013
Release Location
Beachwalker County Park, Kiawah, SC