by SC Associate Publisher Chuck Larsen
The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife released an adult loggerhead sea turtle today, May 4, on a Sanibel beach. The turtle spent six weeks at the clinic for treatment of brevetoxicosis or red tide poisoning.
The loggerhead was admitted to CROW March 17 after it was found stranded on Don Pedro Island Beach. It was very weak, lethargic and covered in barnacles. After receiving intravenous lipid emulsion therapy and rehabilitative care, the turtle swam back into the Gulf of Mexico.
CROW veterinarians believe the female turtle was more than 25 years old and it weighed in at 127.65 pounds when it was released. It was one of four loggerhead turtles treated this year at CROW. The clinic treats between 12 and 20 turtles of different species each year and have had a total of eight turtles so far this calendar year.
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