Sea Turtle Hospital patients Tahiti and Skyros returned to their ocean home in August! Tahiti was released in South Ponte Vedra and Skyros at Ormond by the Sea. We’re incredibly grateful to their sponsorship families for supporting their care and recovery.
Skyros, a juvenile green sea turtle and the Sea Turtle Hospital's 177th patient of the year, was discovered tucked between the rocks of the Ponce Inlet Jetty during low tide. Thanks to the sharp eyes and quick thinking of their rescuers, Skyros was safely transported to the Sea Turtle Hospital. In July, Skyros underwent FP tumor removal surgery and made a full recovery. During their final examination with Dr. Brooke, Skyros was tagged with a Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tag—a small microchip that provides a unique ID number for future identification. All of the patients that return home receive a PIT tag as part of the hospital's release protocol. Dr. Brooke also recorded Skyros' final weight and shell measurements to compare with intake data and track growth during rehabilitation.
Tahiti was in our care since May after being accidentally hooked while swimming near Huguenot Memorial Park. Upon arrival, radiographs revealed not just one, but three fishing hooks that had been ingested. Thanks to the Sea Turtle Hospital's medical team, Tahiti underwent a successful recovery and played an important role in helping us raise awareness about what to do if you accidentally hook a sea turtle while fishing.