Weymouth Sea Life Park Aquarium Acquires 5 Disabled Sea Turtles

By Emma Vagg

Weymouth, UK - Five disabled Florida sea turtles are to receive intensive long-term care at the purpose built turtle sanctuary in Weymouth Sea Life Park Aquarium.

All 5 turtles, whose injuries range from paraplegia to shell damage, have been long-term residents of The Turtle Hospital in Florida, but due to an over whelming amount of new patients over the past few weeks, the 5 turtles were in need of a new home.

“They needed a new home to free up space for new casualties at the Florida facility,” said Sea Life displays supervisor Fiona Smith.

“And our turtle sanctuary makes for a perfect retirement home.”

“We have even had to make changes to our ocean tank to make it easier to get them in and out and administer veterinary care,” she added.

The longest-term patient is Sharky, who was found with propeller injuries at Jupiter Island, Florida in January 2000.

His wounds left him with a permanently deformed shell and like the others he is a floater…unable to submerge without the added weight to give him buoyancy control.

Another casualty was found in the same area 18 months later.
had also been hit by a boat, again rendering it unable to dive.

This turtle was also riddled with tumors, but was nonetheless so feisty it was quickly christened ‘Ali’…after heavyweight boxing legend Mohammed Ali.

It was a similar story with young green turtle Josie, rescued from rattlesnake Key near key Largo in August 2003.

Again treated for tumors and collision injuries, she has a bubble of air trapped beneath her shell which gives it a domed appearance.

Another youngster Cracker, which was rescued in 2005 also now swims with the aid of a weight.

A turtle called Gumbo, who suffered a diagonal crack the full length of his carapace in a collision with a boat, completes the unlucky quintet.

“Our turtle sanctuary was developed primarily to care for turtles that strand around the UK coast, but also makes a perfect haven for animals like the five from Florida,” said Sea Life Park displays supervisor Fiona Smith.

“They will need a great deal of care and attention, but will also help us inform visitors about the serious hazards these creatures face in the wild, and the reasons why all seven sea turtle species are endangered.”

Weymouth Sea Life Park have rescued and returned to the wild one loggerhead turtle and one rare American Kemp’s Ridley turtle in the last few years.

They have also helped raise well over 100,000 Euros to help with the development of an urgently needed turtle rescue centre on the Greek island of Zakynthos.

To view Weymouth Sea Life Park Aquarium's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to:  http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-1661-Weymouth_SEA_LIFE_Adventure_Park_and_Marine_Sanctuary