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Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Stranding Location: North Myrtle Beach, SC
Arrival Date: 3/31/2019
Age: Juvenile
Officer Stevens with Nala
Weight: 6.07 kg (13.4 pounds)
Case History
North Myrtle Beach Patrol Officer J. Stevens found this juvenile green sea turtle at the water line on North Myrtle Beach. Officer Stevens quickly called the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) about this sick sea turtle. While he was talking with SCDNR, Nala was starting to drift back into the water so Officer Stevens quickly got her out and waited with her until volunteer transporters Linda Mataya and Chris Lee arrived. Linda and Chris got quick measurements and a body temperature; Nala’s temperature was a chilly 66°F. Chris and Linda transported this little green to the Aquarium for treatment.
Treatment
At admit, Nala was a little lethargic and her body temperature had increased to 69°F. Nala had a very heavy epibota load, and was covered in a thick layer of sand. After her initial triage, we cleaned her off and ended up removing about 3 pounds of sand off her shell! Nala’s bloodwork was fairly good, but she was a little dehydrated. She received fluids, vitamins and was started on antibiotics. Radiographs and CT images were mostly clear, with some gas showing up in her GI tract. After admit, Nala was placed on a waterbed in a controlled environment so her body temperature could increase slowly overnight.
Updates
April 1, 2019: Nala relaxed in a waterbed overnight to warm up a little more before going into a tank this morning. She was initially floating but, after a couple minutes, she was resting on the bottom. Nala was offered a bite-sized piece of fish and veggies but didn’t show any interest. We hope that in a day or two she’ll be eating like normal. We’re going to keep an eye on her fecal for a few weeks to check for marine debris. Welcome to your temporary home, Nala!
April 15, 2019: Nala has been doing well over the last week and has been mainly resting in her tank. For the first week she was slow to eat or show interest in food, but she finally took her first bites of lettuce! Hopefully Nala will continue on this gravy train, and we will no longer have to do fluid therapy with her.
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