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!

Three Sea Turtles of Three Species Released by Boat Bringing the South Carolina Aquarium to 99 Sea Turtle Releases!

On October 19, three sea turtles were released by boat just off SC's coast. Charlie and Merigo, a loggerhead and Kemp's ridley, were rehabilitated at the South Carolina Aquarium (SCA) and the third, a juvenile green sea turtle, was rehabilitated at the National Aquarium in Baltimore (NAIB). Releasing three species of sea turtles is very exciting and to make it even more exciting, the NAIB green was fitted with a satellite transmitter to track it's migration.

From Aquarium to Dock

The National Aquarium and South Carolina Aquarium staff met at 5:45am Friday morning to load the sea turtles for release. What an exhilarating way to start the day!

Olympian swims in his/her overnight home in the South Carolina Aquarium's Sea Turtle Hospital after being transported from the National Aquarium in Baltimore on Thursday.

Charlie makes a last big splash Friday morning before he gets loaded up to head home.

Gumby watches as wet Stephan and Chuck load Charlie into the transport container.

Merigo's transport container is much smaller than Charlie's. A little spray down and s/he was ready to go!

Olympian looks out from his/her transport container.

The turtles get pulled from the husbandry van and carried down the dock to the boat.

The small turtles are much easier to transport!

The Boat Ride
Special thanks to the boat owner John Hill and his crew, David and Charlie, for helping us release the turtles by boat. This was the fourth sea turtle release from the El Tejano in the last few years and we are grateful for the support! We also thank Joe and Jane Sylvan, Elena Terry, and the National Aquarium crew for being part of the release and making it that much more meaningful. Below are a few photos of the boat ride to release the turtles at 4KI, an artificial reef about 10 miles off the coast of Kiawah Island where water temperatures were 75 degrees F.

From left to right: first mate, Charlie Lewis; boat captain, David Redd; friends Elena Terry and Joe and Jane Sylvan; Chuck Erbe and Amber White from NAIB; Kelly Thorvalson from SCA; and owner of the El Tejano, John Hill.

Joe and John on the way out to the reef. Once there, these two helped release Charlie, the 150 pound loggerhead.

A beautiful morning!

John and Kelly chatting, most likely about sea turtles or fishing!

The Release
Merigo is a 9-pound juvenile Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, the most endangered of all of the sea turtle species. Merigo was brought to the South Carolina Aquarium with a group of sea turtles found cold stunned off the coast of Boston, Massachusetts and initially treated at the New England Aquarium. Because sea turtles are cold-blooded reptiles, they become hypothermic when exposed to extremely cold water temperatures. Merigo is the last of the MA group to be released.

Ready, set...

GO!

Swim, swim away! Good luck, Merigo!

Charlie is a 150-pound loggerhead sea turtle that was captured by the SCDNR In-Water Research Program in June. Charlie was injured by a stingray caught in the same net, the barb puncturing the front left flipper and neck. Because stingrays release venom from their barbs, medical treatment is necessary.

Charlie was anxious to go and was only on the side of the boat for about 5 seconds before being released!

Goodbye and good luck, Charlie!

Olympian is a 9-pound juvenile green sea turtle that was brought to the National Aquarium in Baltimore's Marine Animal Rescue Program (MARP) after being spotted floating off the New Jersey coast in August. Olympian was treated for over-inflated lungs and possible pneumonia. The National Aquarium team has attached a satellite tag to Olympian and hopes that the tag will lend insight as to where the turtle overwinters, and if/when it returns to the east coast next year. You can keep an eye on Olympian’s journey here.

Amber ready to release little Olympian!

SPLASH!

Good luck little Olympian! 

When you go to Olympian's tracking map, notice that within a day of the release 10 miles offshore, s/he had travelled right to the Charleston Harbor, not far from the South Carolina Aquarium! This is certainly not the best place for sea turtles because of the boat traffic but luckily, s/he made it out and is hugging the coast traveling north. Interesting that despite being released off the coast, his instincts brought him right back inshore!

Want More?
Check out the media articles about this release:

News 4 Charleston video and article
Post and Courier article
Post and Courier video and article

Thanks to all involved in the rescue, rehabilitation and release of these sea turtles. It takes an army to make it happen and each and every step along the way is so important!

Kelly Thorvalson and Whitney Daniel
Sea Turtle Rescue Program staff
South Carolina Aquarium

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

Santee and Eugenia will be released this Friday!

In partnership with the SC Department of Natural Resources and Charleston County Parks and Recreation, Santee, the 160-pound loggerhead that was rescued in September 2010 will be released this Friday, June 17th at 4pm at the Isle of Palms County Park.

Santee was rescued by Captain Chad Ferris of Tall Tails Charters. Check out the awesome rescue story with photographs at http://seaturtlehospital.blogspot.com/2010/09/.

Santee's primary medical issue was a gastrointestinal tract impaction but as a result of this impaction, she was suffering from severe edema, low blood protein and was positively buoyant (floating). After 1 1/2 months of treatment, Santee was finally able to pass the impaction and start the healing process. After a little over 8 months of treatment, she is ready to return to the ocean.

Comparison photos of Santee:

Eugenia, the juvenile green sea turtle rescued on Kiawah Island April 28th, 2011, will also be released on Friday. Upon admission, this turtle was very lethargic and in overall poor condition.

Read about Eugenia's admission and how she got her name at
http://seaturtlehospital.blogspot.com/2011/05/sea-turtle-rescue-program-is-off-to.html.

We are thrilled that Eugenia has made a quick recovery in just under 2 months - she was just medically cleared for release today. Just look at the difference that two months of medical treatment and the best animal care can do!!

Bloodwork is pending on the small Kemp's ridley, Taylor, that was caught by a fisherman on the Edwin S. Taylor pier on Folly Beach April 18th. If the bloodwork passes, Taylor will be included in this release, as well!

The public is invited to join us to send these beautiful, healthy sea turtles back into the ocean. Just remember: come early because parking is limited and traffic will be heavy, and County Park parking fees apply.

Hope to see you there!

- Kelly Thorvalson

Sea turtle release this Friday, June 3rd at 3pm

In partnership with the SC Department of Natural Resources and Charleston County Parks and Recreation, the South Carolina Aquarium will be releasing nine sea turtles back into the ocean on Friday, June 3rd at 3pm. The public is invited to come out to watch eight juvenile green sea turtles and one 200-pound loggerhead be returned to the ocean at Beachwalker County Park on Kiawah Island, SC. Parking space is limited and parking fees apply so we strongly encourage folks to come out to the beach early and to carpool!

Eight of the nine sea turtles being released are green sea turtles that were admitted in December 2010: Charms, Lewbart, Fisher, Cape Lookout, Sandy, Banks and Carteret from NC and Frosty from Hilton, Head, SC. The turtles were cold-stunned, an illness that affects sea turtles when a sudden drop in air temperatures causes coastal water temperatures to drop. This causes sea turtles to get hypothermia and it inhibits their ability to migrate into warm waters. Frosty actually suffered from frostbite and lost the tips of the front flippers. Below are a few photos from the admission of the cold-stunned greens and a more recent picture of several getting sunshine.

The loggerhead, Dawsey, was rescued after stranding on a sandbar at Caper's Inlet. 2 families were instrumental in staying with the wounded turtle until help could arrive. Sarah Dawsey and her crew from the Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge got to the turtle just in time as the tide was rising. Dawsey's massive flipper wounds took several months to heal and she has been receiving physical therapy to increase the range of motion where scar tissue is abundant. She has been medically cleared and will make her return to the ocean on Friday! The photo below depicts what we often see Dawsey doing in her tank...looking out of her window at all the happenings in the hospital. Thanks for being such a great patient, Dawsey!

Huge thanks to everyone involved in the rescue and rehabilitation of these animals - there are so many I can't possibly name you all. Hope to see you Friday!

Kelly