The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience
By sponsoring the care of sea turtle Granny Smith, you'll be supporting the Sea Turtle Hospital and the work we do to research, rehab and release these amazing animals. Your sponsorship can provide Granny Smith important medical supplies, nutritious food, critical exams and other types of care provided while at the Sea Turtle Hospital.
Suggested amount to sponsor the care of a turtle is $50. We appreciate gifts above $50 as well. For joining us, you'll receive a personalized certificate and choice to have it mailed to your home or emailed.
Please allow 2 weeks for mailed certificate to arrive. Emailed certificates sent within 2 business days.
For questions about sponsoring, please contact wlmb@whitney.ufl.edu.
Granny Smith returned to his ocean home.
Enjoys back scratches!
Location: Crescent Beach
Granny Smith stranded December 22 on Crescent Beach about 15 minutes north of our hospital. This time of year, we tend to see more emaciated animals that are debilitated and tend to be covered in epibiota. In Granny Smith’s case this animal had a lot of marine adult leeches and leech eggs along her inguinal regions (which is the rear flippers). An easy freshwater bath helped staff remove all leeches and leech eggs.
On intake Dr. Brooke completed a thorough examination of this animal including complete blood chemistry and complete blood cell count (CBC), radiographs, followed by a trip to Precision Imaging Center for a full CT scan. No obvious wounds or injury was documented on exam, some gas intermittently throughout the GI was noted on radiographs, and no concerns of internal tumors were noted on CT scan.
Granny Smith is currently our largest patient in our care weighing 8.6kg which is roughly 19 pounds. We’re happy to report this animal has adjusted to life in our care well, eating a 3% body weight of seafood daily, and has recently started to eat our green feeder enrichment of delicious, donated produce from our friends at The St Augustine Alligator Farm.