Sponsor the Care of Termite
By sponsoring the care of sea turtle Termite 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 Termite with 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
- A monthly email update
- Advance notice of the turtle’s release (attendance at release not guaranteed)
You can even give a turtle sponsorship as a gift!
Please allow 2 weeks for mailed certificate to arrive. Emailed certificates sent within 3-4 business days.
For questions about sponsoring, please contact wh-whitneylab@ufl.edu.
Termite's Story
Meet Termite King — one tough turtle with an even tougher comeback story!
After washing ashore in Ormond Beach, Termite was brought to the Volusia Marine Science Center in rough shape. Upon arrival, this patient was lethargic, dehydrated, underweight, and non-responsive, requiring immediate critical care. The team quickly intubated Termite and placed them on oxygen while running blood tests and administering lifesaving fluid therapy.
After several hours of intubation, Termite began breathing independently but was still weak. Once extubated, their breathing remained shallow, so they were placed in an oxygen chamber overnight to help keep them stabilized.
By the next morning, Termite was much stronger and their respiratory rate had returned to normal. X-rays later revealed pneumonia, and the team immediately began oral and injectable antibiotics along with nebulization treatments to help clear their lungs. Once stable enough, Termite was introduced into shallow water so staff could closely monitor swimming ability and respiratory rates.
As the weeks went by, Termite responded well to treatment and eventually graduated to a deeper rehab tank. However, after several weeks of care at the Volusia Marine Science Center, veterinarians discovered the beginning stages of fibropapillomatosis (FP) tumors developing in the inguinal (rear flipper) region, meaning it was time for a transfer to our hospital for more specialized care.
Like many new patients, Termite was a little stressed after the move and displayed some common stress behaviors once introduced into one of our rehab tanks. These behaviors typically include fast, repetitive swimming patterns. Thankfully, this phase didn’t last long, and by that afternoon Termite was observed resting comfortably on the bottom of the tank and casually surfacing to breathe, exactly what we like to see.
Termite is now settling in well to our care. We are continuing oral medications, which they happily take hidden in seafood, and we’ve recently been able to discontinue nebulization treatments altogether.
Next up for this resilient patient is a CT scan to ensure the pneumonia has fully resolved and to check for any internal tumors before scheduling FP tumor removal surgery.
We’re incredibly proud of the progress Termite has already made and can’t wait to share more updates on their journey back to the ocean!