Exhausted pacing JTMK

[PeterB]

From N.E. Aquarium Press Dept., Wednesday:

Last night, a 350 pound, five foot long leatherback turtle was brought into the Rescue and Rehab area in the basement of the Aquarium. This is an historic event for us. I believe that we have not had a live leatherback turtle in the Aquarium building in over 30 years. This large turtle was rescued from a beach in Dennis on the north side of the Cape after stranding there two days in a row. She is very inactive and lethargic

For those unfamiliar with leatherbacks, they are the world's largest turtle with some adults reaching over one ton. They are critically endangered, and their primary habitat is the open ocean. Given the distance that they are normally from coasts, strandings of even dead animals are rare. There have been about six live strandings on the Cape over the past 25 years and all of those animals but one were near death usually from injury due to boat strike or fishing gear entanglement.

This animal does not have any obvious trauma. Animal Health and Rescue staff are caring for the animal by providing extensive fluids as well as antibiotics. Further evaluations and procedures are occurring throughout the day. This turtle is critically ill.

The other great challenge in caring for this animal will be managing her behavior. Since these sea turtles are pelagic, they have a long history of having great difficulty adjusting to the concept of a barrier as in the edge of a tank. This turtle is currently being treated out of the water. Our fishes curator Steve Bailey has only seen one adult leatherback successfully kept in an aquarium setting and that was in a large Japanese facility. A Florida sea turtle biologist who is speaking at next Monday's Lowell Lecture has successfully rehabilitated a leatherback adult.

Rescue & Rehab staff understand everyone's fascination with this animal, but they have requested that only staff who are dealing directly with the turtle come in to the rescue area to see it. The Communications Department has collected extensive still and video images of the turtle. We will be posting many of these on the web.

[rcohn]

In case anyone is interested, I get stranding notifications because I'm a member of the New England Aquarium Dive Club. They are always looking for volunteers to join the strandings team. In this case they were seeking volunteers to sit with the turtle overnight in 4 hour shifts or whatever you can give them. Don't know if they found all the people they need yet. Anyway, if anyone is interested in the strandings network I can put you in touch with someone who can give you info. I don't believe it ever involves diving, just going through a training session and having a wetsuit or drysuit for exposure protection.

Ralph Cohn

Elaho DS, blue & white with yellow trim

[rcohn]

From my email box today.

"Thanks to all of you who responded to assist with shifts watching the stranded leatherback sea turtle. Sadly, this magnificent animal died over night. A necropsy will be performed this afternoon."

Ralph Cohn

Elaho DS, blue & white with yellow trim