Critically ill sea turtle given second chance at life

Life is looking up for a critically ill green sea turtle found at Hukatere (90 Mile Beach) in late July and transported to Auckland Zoo’s veterinary hospital where it has required weeks of intensive treatment and surgery to amputate a severely injured flipper.

“Tragically, the trauma to the right front flipper of this young turtle (under 10 years) was consistent with entrapment in fishing gear - causing painful strangulation of this limb and cutting off its blood supply. Surgery was essential to remove the exposed bone and surrounding non-viable tissues,” says Auckland Zoo veterinary nurse Celine Campana, who has extensive experience here and overseas rescuing and rehabilitating injured marine turtles.

“The flipper had classic deep scarring and scabs at its top (or shoulder), and small bones at its tip had already begun to dislodge from the flesh. As well as being severely dehydrated and underweight, a CT scan also confirmed it had pneumonia. This is a common respiratory illness in individuals like this that have been injured and struggling for some time - usually caused by a fungal infection in turtles here in New Zealand.”

While still being treated for pneumonia and requiring follow-up Zoo veterinary visits, this turtle has now stabilised sufficiently to relocate to our ‘Team Turtle’ colleagues at SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s today for ongoing rehabilitation. Long-term, along with other Team Turtle partners the Department of Conservation (DOC), and mana whenua, the hope of everyone is that she/he will be able to be released back to the wild to live a full life.

Auckland Zoo’s senior veterinarian, Dr An Pas, says this young turtle (whose sex is hard to determine at this young age) has, with intensive treatment and care, come a remarkably long way in just over four weeks.

“Along with antibiotic and antifungals to combat the pneumonia, and anti-inflammatory and pain relief medications after the surgery, and ensuring appropriate air and water tank temperatures for this sub-tropical turtle, tube feeding of a highly nutritious fish slurry each day has been critical to its recovery to date.”

“It is now passing faeces, so we know its digestive system is working well again, which is an important part of the recovery. Gut stasis, a condition where food does not properly move through the gut anymore is a common, and serious, condition in stranded turtles. Despite all these issues and because of the intensive care given, its body condition has already improved, and it has now also started eating some fish and hopefully will continue eating food offered,” says An.

While surviving out in the ocean with just three flippers may sound like an impossible ask, Celine says amazingly, sea turtles cope extremely well minus a limb.

“Turtles use their front flippers to propel themselves forward and their back flippers act as their directional rudders. As they don’t hunt fast-moving prey, but instead opportunistically feed on grasses, crabs, jellyfish, and other invertebrates as they glide above the sea floor, food – where it’s available, is relatively easy for them to source.

“During the breeding season, females do need to use their front flippers to pull themselves up onto the beach and clear away the soft sand to dig an egg chamber in which to lay their eggs. While it may take a little longer and is more challenging with just one front flipper, it is still achievable, and I have witnessed a number of turtles with missing flippers still able to successfully lay and protect their eggs” explains Celine.

How to help turtles and other marine life

Throughout the world’s oceans, ghost nets and other discarded fishing gear from the human activities of commercial and recreational fishing are having devastating impacts on sea turtles and a multitude of other marine species and their ecosystems.

“When in and out on the water, there is nothing we should be leaving behind that doesn’t naturally belong there. We can act responsibly ourselves, and also support others doing the right thing by purchasing only responsibly caught sustainable seafood,” says Celine.

As our planet’s climate continues to warm and impact sea temperatures and currents, tropical and subtropical marine species like green sea turtles are increasingly being found in New Zealand waters.

The rescue, rehabilitation, and release of sick and injured marine turtles in Aotearoa New Zealand is a collaborative effort from ‘Team Turtle’ – involving mana whenua, the Department of Conservation (DOC), SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s and Auckland Zoo.

If you see a sick or entangled turtle?

• On the shore: Call the Department of Conservation on their emergency hotline 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468) and follow the advice.
• In the water: Call DOC with the details and if you have the means to, try and free the animal. If you can’t untangle it, but can safely bring the animal to shore, do so and keep it there until you receive advice from DOC.