This past winter was very busy at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.  One of the coldest winters in history followed by mass amount of cold stunned (hypothermic) sea turtles to strand throughout the southeastern United States.  Back in January, GSTC sent four staff members Dr. Terry Norton, DVM, Dipl. AZVM, Steven Nelson, CVT, Ashley Raybould and Simon Dilts, to the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton to assist in laser and electrocautery surgeries being conducted to remove fibropapilloma tumors from 30 (thirty) green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas). The sea turtles were all affected by the mass cold stunning event in southeastern Florida where approximately 4,000-5000 animals were affected by the cold weather and low temperatures. Although not all of the cold stunned turtles presented with tumors when stranded, hundreds did and a majority of the stable patients underwent surgery.

Green Sea Turtle with eye tumors

Fibropapilloma is thought to be caused by a herpes virus and possibly involves some other environmental factor(s) such as pollution and climate change that appear to be causing the turtle’s immune system to be compromised. It affects almost all of the sea turtle species but is considered to be an epidemic in many green sea turtle populations. The problem is rarely seen north of Cape Canaveral, Florida and only a few cases have been documented in coastal Georgia. The affected turtles develop tumor like masses that can eventually cover the entire body if not excisedremoved. Even the eyes are subject to tumors; these tumors are the most concerning because they compromise the turtle’s vision and they eventually die of starvation. The most severe cases develop tumors in internal organs-these cases have a very guarded prognosis and usually require humane euthanasia. Techniques have been developed to use laser surgery to remove the tumors.  Laser surgery minimizes bleeding during and after surgery. Tumors can be removed from the eyelids and portions of the eye to improve vision. Tumor removal seems to stimulate the immune system and in many cases the tumors do not return. Recent studies have documented natural tumor regression in some turtles.

Dr. Norton performing laser surgery

The goal for all of these turtles was to removed the largest most compromising tumors under anesthesia, recover them, and rehabilitate them to the point where they are likely to do well in the wild. The turtles will be released near where they were found so there are not concerns about transmitting the virus to unexposed turtles. Four surgery tables were set up in a basement facility at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton, FL. Four lasers and anesthesia machines were borrowed for the procedures. Several surgeons and ophthalmologists including Dr. Norton performed the 30 surgeries that day. Steven Nelson was one of the many certified veterinary technicians that performed general anesthesia on the turtles. Two of our AmeriCorps husbandry members, Ashley and Simon, monitored and successfully recovered all of the turtles. The team left for Florida on a Monday evening after work for the 6 hour drive, stayed in a hotel that night, worked for 8 hours on the turtles and then drove all the way back to the GSTC and arrived at 2 am. All participants were back to work at 8 am the next day taking care of the 35+ patients that are currently housed at the GSTC. This was a collaborative effort with numerous organizations including Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, the Loggerhead Marinelife Center, Shedd Aquarium, Pittsburg Zoo and Aquarium, local veterinarians and ophthalmologists, veterinary technicians, biologists, rehabilitators and volunteers. It was truly an amazing effort and great to be a part of the team.  In the future, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center hopes to expand their veterinary care facilities to include isolation and quarantine areas for fibropapilloma cases as well as to purchase or gain a donation of a laser unit to remove such tumors. There are currently only three rehabilitation centers that have the appropriate facilities and equipment to treat this condition in sea turtles.

-Steven Nelson, Hospital Technician

So far it has been an exciting year here at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. The arrival of the new year was followed by the arrival of several new patients! Over the past several weeks, we’ve added 22 new patients to the hospital resulting in a flurry of activity.

In the colder months of winter, it’s not uncommon to have an influx of patients that suffer from cold stunning.

Cold stunning is a condition where sea turtles suffer from hypothermia-like symptoms when water temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Excessive exposure to these cold temperatures can cause normal body functions to shut down. Sea turtles lose the ability to dive and are unable to forage, resulting in emaciation and dehydration. Many wash up on shore and become stranded.

Earlier this year, one Loggerhead Sea Turtle and four green sea turtles arrived from North Carolina with cold-stunning symptoms.

The loggerhead, aptly named ‘Lookout’is from Cape Lookout, NC. In addition to cold stunning, the turtle had a lot of epibiota, like barnacles and algae, on his carapace and plastron. Lookout also had a very strange puncture mark on his skin and plastron. We were unable to figure out what caused it, but the wound was healing nicely and he was released shortly after his arrival.

Jill, the little Kemps Ridley, arrived with small lesions on the plastron and skin, perhaps as a result of being tossed around in the surf. Jill was also skinny, but recovered quickly after a hefty diet of seafood.

Three greens, Carolina, Cape, and Crow, had secondary injuries that needed some atttention. Carolina has a large, but healing, abrasion on the top of her shell. Upon x-ray, Cape had a metal object that was detected in his GI tract. And Crow, with a boat strike injury to the carapace, has the most severe injuries. However, all the turtles are eating very well! When cold stunned turtles arrive at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, they are so sick that they often do not have the willingness to eat.  Their digestive system has been affected by the cold temperature. However, when a turtle is able to eat on their own, it could be an indication that their condition is improving.

Fortunately, the fourth and smallest of the new patients did not have any secondary injuries. Much like the fruit he resembles, this little turtle with a dark brown shell and green insides was named ‘Kiwi’.

As January pressed on, a huge cold stunning event took place along Florida’s coastline. Over 5000 turtles washed up along the east and west coasts, resulting in a massive stranding event and the need for facilities like the Georgia Sea Turtle Center to step in.

The first to arrive were 10 cold stunned green sea turtles from Mosquito Lagoon, Florida. After some good food and supportive care, we were able to release 10 of our new patients, including Lookout the Loggerhead. On January 13^th, Center staff drove south to warmer waters off the coast of Florida to release the rehabilitated turtles and returned with 12 new patients in critical need. With so many new patients, new names were needed in a hurry! The staff came together and each chose a name meaning “cold” in a different language, even adding some names from ancient mythologies. It was a fun way to bring the staff together by naming and helping our new sea turtle patients.

Since then, two more green sea turtles have arrived . Arthur is currently floating with his tail end up, due to a gas and fecal matter built up in his digestive tract. Surry is the victim of a boat strike. Both are receiving the best of care, even with so many other patients in house! As always, we’re keeping a watchful eye on all of our patients.

The start of the new year, new patients in need and witnessing the staff and volunteers coming together to help these turtles, it’s truly inspiring!

Renee Pascale

Americorps Education Member

Why are we in great need?

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center, a department of the Jekyll Island Authority, is actively involved in rehabilitation of numerous sea turtles, many of which are new “cold-stunned” arrivals due to the prolonged cold weather along the Eastern seaboard. Thousands of turtles have been affected by cold-stunning in recent weeks and treatment facilities are scarce, so the GSTC is working with other agencies and organizations stretching from New England to Florida to treat new patients.

Ten cold-stunned green sea turtles arrived at the GSTC on January 7 for treatment. Eight of these, in addition to two previous cold-stunned turtles from North Carolina and a loggerhead, were released into warmer waters on January 13 after a six-hour drive to Fort Lauderdale, FL. On the same day, the GSTC picked up 12 new green turtles, all cold-stunned in Florida waters. Some of these new arrivals have begun eating and others are slowly adjusting to the new environment.

Currently the GSTC is treating 34 sea turtles, stretching its capacity in terms of space, resources, and personnel to meet the needs of endangered sea turtles and WE NEED YOUR HELP!  We are asking for a variety of donations from towels, to medical supplies, to monetary contributions. CLICK HERE to see a list of our much-needed items.

What is cold-stunning?

Cold stunning is similar to hypothermia in humans. As reptiles, sea turtles are ecothermic (cold-blooded) meaning they rely on their surroundings to generate heat. When the water temperatures fall, so do their body temperatures. As a turtle’s body temperature drops to 50 - 60 degrees F, its metabolism slows down and compromises its ability to swim, eat, and perform other necessary bodily functions. Some species, such as green sea turtles, are more susceptible than others to these changes, and the sudden drop in temperatures makes it more difficult for their systems to adjust. In this cold-induced lethargic state, its immune system is suppressed, making it susceptible to other short- and long-term problems such as dehydration, infection, diseases and pneumonia. Cold-stunned turtles become immobilized and float to the surface where they may become boat-strike victims or preyed upon, float in a debilitated state until they can’t survive, or wash up on shore and  exposed to colder air temperatures where their survival is jeopardized.

How are cold-stunned turtles treated?

Treatment is dependant upon how seriously the turtle is affected by the cold-stunning as well as other ailments. Turtles must be slowly re-warmed (4-5 degrees F per day), their blood work analyzed, rehydrated, treated as necessary for secondary problems with antibiotics or supplements, and monitored for additional problems that may arise over time. Of course, their diet must be controlled and other health factors examined periodically.

Can cold-stunned turtles be released?

Once sea turtles are healthy, it is preferable to return them to the ocean. They are wild animals, not pets, and will survive best if returned to their natural environment.  Release of turtles cannot occur until both the turtle is healthy and the water conditions are favorable (mid-60 degrees as a minimum). Favorable weather and water conditions may not occur for several months, depending upon the location of the turtle’s release.

Thank you for your assistance and support!

Sincerely,
Jim Squires, Ph.D.
General Manager

The race began with an email, sent by family friend, Linsey Pilon, to my mother, Diane Noble. This is an extremely elaborated version:

Cold New England turtles are heading to warm Georgia! Two loggerheads, one green, and seven Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are going to be driven non-stop to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island.

Five of the ten turtles’ journeys began at the University of New England’s Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center (MARC) in Biddeford, Maine. All five turtles were treated for cold-stunning, or hypothermia.*

Who were these fabulous five cold-stunned sea turtles? They were Denahi, Chiquita, Forest, Yoshi, and Petunia. All were originally washed ashore somewhere in Massachusetts (locations range), taken to the New England Aquarium in Boston, MA, and further transported to Biddeford, ME.

After their, “few month’s vacation from their wild lives” (rehabilitation), the turtles were brought back to the New England Aquarium. Why? They needed to pick up a few friends on their way to Jekyll Island, Georgia!

Route's release

Nine of the ten New England rehabilitated turtles were released on April 29^th, 2009. Route, a Kemps Ridley sea turtle, was not releasable at the time, but later released on May 30^th, 2009. For more information on Route, visit http://georgiaseaturtlecenter.org/our-patients/

Are you wondering why I turned my trip to Jekyll Island into a race with the turtles? I had been receiving email updates from Conservation International and National Geographic’ “The Great Turtle Race!” The satellite tagged leatherback sea turtles were tracked along their migration routes. When a turtle surfaced, the satellite transmitter on its back would send a signal to the satellite, and the turtle’s spokesperson would write a brief blurb about that particular turtle’s journey.

I was very excited to hear about the New England turtles’ trip to Jekyll Island because the excitement of The Great Turtle Race was still fresh for me. During my lengthy car ride, I thought about the turtles. How stressed would they be in the back of rescue vans? Were they as cramped as I was? Did they have any idea they were going to the free within 24 hours of arrival?

Another slice of my anxiety cake was that the turtles were coming from my hometown and my alma mater! It suddenly seemed like Jekyll Island, GA was the place to be. Even the turtles knew that! (My apologies for my anthropomorphisms.) Now that I am here on Jekyll Island, I understand why the turtles were sent here to flourish. The ocean is simply full of life! If I were a turtle, I would go where the food and the good accommodations (rock crevices) are. Wouldn’t you?

That completes my story of the race from New England to Georgia. I will have you know that the turtles arrived first and were released before I got to meet any of them, with the exception of Route. I suppose none of the cold stunned five wanted to share snowstorm stories, anyway.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Amanda Noble,

GSTC Sea Turtle Patrol Intern 2009

Have comments? Want to suggest a topic to me? Email me at amandanoble@me.com or add a comment to this BLOG. I will try to satisfy your requests for information by writing at http://georgiaseaturtlecenter.org/blog.

*Remember, turtles are reptiles. Their body temperatures are in direct correlation to their environments. If a strong current carries them too far north, they will be unable to keep themselves warm. Cold-stunning is exactly what it sounds like: the shutting down of the bodily functions due to extreme cold temperatures.

We are happy to announce that we recently had 2 very successful releases!  Both releases were conducted as a collaborative effort with other facilities involved in sea turtle conservation: Tybee Island Marine Science Center, Tybee Island, GA and the New England Aquarium in Boston, MA.

Tybee Island Release:

Snowball

Blizzard

Chilly Willy

Nikon

The Tybee Island Release took place on Saturday, April 25, 2009 following the Marine Science Center’s annual Turtle Trot (please see a previous BLOG about this event!).  GSTC staff accompanied the turtles on their journey to Tybee Island early that morning and all arrived safely.  At approximately 10am, 4 turtles: Snowball & Blizzard, both loggerhead sea turtles and Chilly Willy and Nikon, both green sea turtles, were released back into the wild!  Snowball & Blizzard had a satellite transmitters attached to their shells a few days prior to their release.  These transmitters are part of an ongoing research opportunity through the GSTC where we are gaining valuable information on sea turtle behavior, foraging grounds, mating/nesting grounds, and migratory pathways.  Click the turtle’s name to view their tracking page! SNOWBALL BLIZZARD

New England Aquarium Release:

On Wednesday, April 29, 2009 2 staff members from the New England Aquarium (NEAq) drove 10 rehabilitated sea turtles down to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, GA.  The group consisted of 2 loggerheads, 1 green and 7 Kemps ridley sea turtles.  All but one Kemp’s ridely, Route, were to be released.  Route will remain at the GSTC a while longer to recover from his/her injuries received from a boat collision. So stop on by and see him/her!  The other 9 sea turtles were joined by 2 juvenile green sea turtles from the GSTC,

Cruella de Vil

Cruella de Vil and Pilot Drew, for a release on Jekyll Island.  Some of you might remember that Cruella actually came to us from the NEAq in 2007 as one of the ‘Cold Stunned 7′.  All 11 sea turtles made it safely to the sea to continue their wild existence!

NEAq greens and kemps

We’d like to thank the Tybee Marine Science Center and the New England Aquarium for their time and efforts in sea turtle conservation and look forward to working with them in the future!

Sincerely,
Stefanie Ouellette
Marine Field Programs Coordinator

That’s right, we are planning a sea turtle release tomorrow, Wednesday 4/29, on Jekyll Island, GA! Sorry for the last minute notice, but we just found our ourselves! This release will another cooperative effort between the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and the New England Aquarium (Boston, MA).

Many of you might remember last winter (2007) when we received 7 cold-stunned sea turtles from the New England Aquarium (NEAq); 5 of those 7 were released last summer.

Cruella de Vil

Cruella de Vil (pictured LEFT) and Tinkerbell had some extenuating circumstances that required them to remain in our care a bit longer. While Tinkerbell will still need to stay for a little longer, we are happy to announce that Cruella is now ready for release!

The NEAq will be driving down to Jekyll on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 with 7-9 sea turtles (mixed species: loggerhead, green, kemps) for release….and Cruella will be joining them! Unfortunately we do not have a lot of details, especially in relation to the time of the release.  The NEAq folks will be calling us from the road when they have a better idea of their arrival time.  For now, we are looking at some time in the late afternoon (after 3pm).  The release will take place on the north corner of the Convention Center (area will be marked off).

We are happy to once again work in a cooperative effort with the New England Aquarium. 

Hope to see you all at the release!

Sincerely,
Stefanie Ouellette
Marine Field Programs Coordinator