Dr. Norton feeling for fish hook before surgery.

Close to 5 PM on July 3, 2009, a juvenile Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle was rushed into our hospital.  I happened to be standing at the treatment window talking about the snapping turtle who was getting bandage changes, when the doors flew open and an intern came in with the little sea turtle.  I noticed right away the intern was holding onto a string coming out of the turtle’s mouth.

A family was fishing off of Jekyll Island when they accidentally hooked the Kemp’s Ridley, who has been named Utah.  Utah swallowed the hook, so we held on to the line with forceps to prevent the hook from going any further.  We didn’t waist any time attempting to remove the hook.  Utah had x-rays done, and we also put a tiny camera down his throat to see if we could remove the fish hook without surgery.  Unfortunately, the fish hook wasn’t going to come out that easy.  Dr. Norton had to make an incision in Utah’s throat to remove the hook.  The surgery went well, and Utah is recovering just fine.  Utah is still at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center while the turtle heals, so come visit before this brave little turtle goes back to its ocean home.

Nicki Pinnell
Education Intern ‘09

Utah in recovery tank after surgery.