Three Sea Turtles Being Released Saturday, September 14th!

Three sea turtles from the South Carolina Aquarium Sea Turtle Rescue Program are ready to return to the sea! One green sea turtle, Crosby, one Kemp's ridley sea turtle, Parker, and one loggerhead sea turtle, Skully, will be released at the Isle of Palms County Park at 10 a.m., this Saturday, September 14, 2013.

 

The release is being held in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources(SCDNR) and the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission (CCPRC).  The public is invited to join the festivities and are encouraged to carpool, arrive early, and are reminded that parking fees apply at the county park.

 

More on the sea turtles being released:

 

Skully:

Skully, a 70-pound juvenile loggerhead was found by canoers stranded on a sandbar in Skull Inlet near Fripp Island in June.  When Skully was admitted to the Aquarium's Sea Turtle Hospital, biologists discovered old wounds to his/her plastron which were inhabited by marine leeches; the turtle was also thin, lethargic, anemic, and dehydrated.  The leeches were flushed out of the wound, and supportive care was administered.  Skully is now back to optimal health and is ready for a return to the open ocean.

 

Skully

Parker:

Parker, a five-pound juvenile Kemp's ridley sea turtle, was accidentally caught by a recreational fisherman at the Myrtle Beach Pier in June of this year.  Upon admittance to the Aquarium's Sea Turtle Hospital, Parker was emaciated, dehydrated, and had poor blood work.  Due to the location of the hook, the Aquarium's staff veterinarian removed it without surgery.  Treatment for Parker included injectable antibiotics and vitamins, fluids, and plenty of food to help him/her gain weight.  Three months after admission, Parker is healthy, strong, and swimming around the tank ready to head back home.

Parker

Crosby:

Crosby, a 9-pound juvenile green sea turtle was found floating near Crosby's Seafood on the Folly River in April of this year, the same night as the Aquarium's annual Conservation Gala.  Captain Gresh Megget of Absolute Reel Screamer Charters called SCDNR officials after noticing the little green sea turtle swimming erratically and covered in marine growth.  During Crosby's stay at the Sea Turtle Hospital, s/he received fluids and antibiotics, and minor carapace wounds were flushed and treated.  In May, Crosby's buoyancy improved and s/he began eating a diet of fish and fresh vegetables.  Now strong and healthy, Crosby is ready to return to the sea turtle population off the East Coast.

Crosby

We would like to send a huge thank you to everyone involved in the successful rehabilitation of these animals including rescuers, transporters, partner organizations, donors, volunteers, and staff - we could not do it without you!

Hope to see you all there!

May 18 sea turtle release photo blog

The threatenening rain held off for an amazing release of two loggerheads, Hamlin Creek and Jammer, on Friday, May 18th. What a perfect way to celebrate Endangered Species Day!

Hamlin Creek

Sea Turtle Hospital staff Whitney Daniel and Christi Hughes, release Hamlin Creek...

...in front of a large, enthusiastic crowd and under a grey sky.

Once Hamlin Creek hit the beach, there was no time wasted getting to deeper water.

Elly and Simmons were on the dock they day their family rescued Hamlin Creek last summer. So happy you girls were able to make it out for Hamlin's return to sea!

Jammer

Jammer was released by Ann Graham, Fire Chief on Isle of Palms who helped rescue Jammer from the beach a year ago, and Bobby Ross, long time General Manager of Windjammer Beach Bar (that Jammer is named after) where the Jammin for Jammer fundraiser was held in fall 2009. Look for another Jammin for Jammer at the Windjammer this fall!

 Jammer took off quickly but had the crowd laughing at his 360 degree turn before making his way into the water. Goodbye Jammer...

...and good luck!

Huge thanks to all who have been part of the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of these amazing sea turtles. They have touched the hearts of us all.

Kelly Thorvalson

2 loggerheads to be released Friday, May 18

In partnership with the SC Department of Natural Resources and Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission, two sub-adult loggerhead sea turtles, Jammer and Hamlin Creek, will be released at the Isle of Palms County Park on Friday, May18 at 3pm. Both sea turtles were rescued from the Isle of Palms last spring/summer in critical condition and have been recuperating in the Aquarium's Sea Turtle Hospital.

With an average cost per day of $34, medical expenses for these two turtles alone have reached over $26,000. It is this reason that Jammer's namesake, the Windjammer, and the IOP Neighborhood Association raised funds last fall for the Sea Turtle Rescue Program. We are hoping to celebrate the release of Jammer and Hamlin Creek at the Windjammer following Friday's release. Stay tuned for details!

Jammer was admitted on April 25, 2011, truly on deaths door and his recovery has been simply amazing! To learn more about Jammer's recovery, read the case history and enjoy past blogs.

comparison photo of Jammer

Hamlin Creek was rescued from Hamlin Creek behind the IOP pm June 12, 2011 suffering from an advanced skin infection that took the lives of many sea turtles last year. We are thrilled that Hamlin survived this terrible condition and is now ready to be released. To learn more about Hamlin's recovery, read the case history and enjoy past blogs.

comparison photo of Hamlin Creek

Huge thanks to all the folks involved in the rescue and rehabilitation of these sea turtles! If you to attend the release, remember that beach traffic may be heavy so be sure to carpool and ARRIVE EARLY. County Park parking fees will apply. Hope to see you there!

Kelly Thorvalson
Sea Turtle Rescue Program Manager

7 turtles released in front of largest crowd ever!

Sunday's release of 7 sea turtles attracted an epic crowd of well over a thousand onlookers and brings the South Carolina Aquarium to 90 releases since 2000. Enjoy the photos!

Aerial view of sea turtle release taken by IOP friend and pilot, Nicholas Johannes.  WOW!

The Hollands, Tyson, Mary, Mason and Zach, release Mason (Kemp's ridley) and Eclipse (hybrid). Thanks for the ride into Charleston and the lift out to sea! 

Beautiful reflection of Mason on the sand as he pauses before heading into the water.

With the help of William, Sea Turtle Hospital Volunteer Machelle Morningstar released Andrew, the Kemp's ridley that was medically cleared the very morning of release. So happy he could go!

SCDNR's Amy Gutierrez released the Kemp's ridley, Eastham, with Kendall holding the name card.

Innis, a Kemp's ridley sea turtle, was released by hospital volunteer, Ann Connellee, and Charlie held the name card for the crowd to see.

With the help of card holder Lilly, hospital volunteer Elaine Warren releases the Kemp's ridley, Sampson.

Be safe out there little turtles!!

Hospital interns Caroline and Vicki release Little River, the boat strike loggerhead that was admitted last summer. Hunter and William from Team Tortuga carried the name cards.

Little River has a short crawl on the sand. What a beautiful loggerhead!

We would like to thank everyone that helped with the rescue, rehabilitation and release of these turtles. And huge thanks to all that came out to the Isle of Palms to make this such an amazing day. Many were eager to join us for this first release of the season and we are grateful for the support!

Kelly Thorvalson

Sea Turtle Rescue Program Manager

First sea turtle release of the season on April 29!

In partnership with the SC Department of Natural Resources and Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission, the South Carolina Aquarium will be releasing 6 sea turtles back into the wild at the Isle of Palms County Park on April 29^th at 10:30am. The public is invited to watch as 4 Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, 1 juvenile loggerhead, and the rare green/loggerhead hybrid rejoin sea turtle populations in the Atlantic Ocean. County Park gates will open at 9:30am (30 minutes earlier than normal for this occasion), and parking fees apply. Carpooling is strongly encouraged as traffic will be heavy into the park.

The loggerhead being released is Little River from Little River, SC. She suffered traumatic carapace injuries from a boat propeller, a partial front flipper amputation, and partial paralysis of the rear flippers. In the video below, Little River is pulled for a monthly weight check. The rear flipper usage is stronger out of water than she exhibits while swimming and we are confident that she will continue to gain movement in the wild.

The rare green/loggerhead hybrid sea turtle, Eclipse, and four Kemp's ridleys, Mason, Innis, Sampson and Eastham, have also been medically cleared for release. These animals were cold-stunned off the New England Coast in December and treated at the New England Aquarium, then transported to the South Carolina Aquarium in January. These young turtles are definitely the most active sea turtles currently in our care and can be seen swimming and enjoying various forms of enrichment. We offer a variety of enrichment to our sea turtles including fish pops, back scratchers, live crabs, and sleeping tubes.

Catching sea turtle patients napping in their tubes never ceases to delight staff, volunteers and hospital guests. Innis and Sampson are pictured below sleeping in their pipes.  Sea turtle are not able to retract into their shells like other turtles so in the wild they will sleep in the safety of caves and over hangs. The tubes in their tanks mimic these habitats and sea turtles of all sizes and species utilize them.

Fish pops, frozen water with fish, are great way for sea turtles to seek out their food in a totally different way than normal, providing brain stimulation and exercise for their jaw muscles! Below is a video of Eastham really enjoying his fish pop filled with mackerel and capelin.

Get involved! Learn more about each patient’s medical care in our Sea Turtle Hospital, visit the patients in the hospital this week before they get released – tour days and times are HERE, and come out to watch these animals be released into the wild next Sunday. It is an experience you won’t soon forget!

The Sea Turtle Rescue Team

Photos and video of McClellan's release!

A team of Aquarium staff members get McClellan out of the holding tank she has occupied for almost 4 months...


...and carefully load her into the transport bin.


After arriving at the Isle of Palms County Park, McClellan is taken from the transport container by the release team.


Shelley and Ethan Harrison from Caledonia, Ontario in Canada, were in town for this special release. Ethan, now 9 years old, has raised over $6,000 for the Sea Turtle Rescue Program, starting when he was only 4 years old.


The release team clockwise from left to right: Dan Ashworth, one of the USFWS staff on the boat that rescued McClellan; Kevin Handel, Sea Turtle Rescue Program Intern; Bob Crimian, Sea Turtle Rescue Progam Volunteer; Lee Baldonado, South Carolina Aquarium Environmental Services Manager. Thanks guys!



The release team walked McClellan into the water because of her missing front flipper. She stopped for a few moments on a sandbar but once free of that obstacle, headed out to sea.


Enjoy the video of McClellan's release!




Huge thanks to all involved in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of this amazing animal!
Kelly Thorvalson

Amputee loggerhead to be released this Friday

We are excited to be able to release an adult female loggerhead back into the Atlantic Ocean on Friday, October 7, 2011. McClellan suffered a flipper amputation from a crab trap rope entanglement and loss of a portion of her shell from propeller strikes. Despite these traumatic injuries, she has recovered in less than four months! The public is invited to join us at 1pm at the Isle of Palms County Park for this release held in partnership with the SC Department of Natural Resources and the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission. Arrive early to get a good parking space (County Park parking fees apply).

Visit the Sea Turtle Hospital at http://scaquarium.org/STR/hospital/default.aspx to learn more about McClellan’s injuries and rehabilitation. We hope to see you Friday!