Injured loggerhead sea turtle found on a Beaufort County island. What happened next
After kayaking from Fripp Island to Pritchards Island at sunrise, Abby Morris locked eyes with a sight she’d never seen: A live, stranded sea turtle.
Barnacle-encrusted and missing her front right flipper, the loggerhead was lying on the soft grooves of a tidal pool near Pritchards’ north shore on Saturday.
Morris, who holds a permit for conservation on Pritchards and Little Capers Islands, has been patrolling the islands with her husband, Robert, for over a decade. She’s seen sea turtles stranded before, but never one still alive.
The loggerhead had a straight cut on her neck, possibly from a boat strike, Morris said. There was another strike on her shell. Notches along her side could’ve been from a shark attack. And the barnacles indicated she had been staying near the water’s surface and not moving much.
It’s hard to say exactly what happened, Morris said. But based on the loggerhead’s estimated age, about 20 years old, she’s a juvenile, meaning the sea turtle wasn’t coming to the shore to lay eggs.
A call to South Carolina’s Department of Natural Resources’ stranding hotline around 6:30 a.m. kicked off a hearty team effort.
“It was amazing to see everybody in place, and it all flowed so smoothly,” Morris said.
From the Fripp Island Sea Rescue members, Boat Duty Capt. Jimmy Myers and Crew Member Scott Momburg, who’d never transported a sea turtle by boat, to a handful of turtle team members who drove the turtle from Fripp to Charleston, the stranded sea turtle was brought to safety quickly.
The loggerhead, who was later named “Pluto,” was taken to the Sea Turtle Care Center of the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston. Veterinarians at the center rehabilitate the sea turtles and then release them once they’re nursed back to health.
On Monday, Morris read off the rescued loggerhead’s health status.
“Pluto is recovering in a shallow tank tank at the Sea Turtle Care Center,” Morris said. “She’s anemic, dehydrated and underweight. Still pretty lethargic but is able to be in shallow water.”
The center is treating Pluto with antibiotics, vitamins and fluids, and they started to slowly offer her food. Her prognosis is guarded. But, even like humans, making it through the first 48 hours of treatment is the first big hurdles, Morris said.
Because of her missing front flipper, Morris noted that Pluto’s diving capabilities would be compromised, which would make it difficult for her to feed.
“She’s in a good place now,” Morris said.
Sea turtle stranding steps, via SCDNR:
If a dead, sick, or injured sea turtle is found, call SCDNR’s 24-hour hotline 1-800-922-5431.
Be prepared to answer the following questions:
- What is the exact location of the animal?
- Is the turtle alive or dead?
- What is the approximate size of the turtle?
- Is the turtle marked with spray paint? (This may indicate that the turtle has been previously documented.)
- What is the location of the closest access point to the turtle?
This story was originally published May 24, 2022 at 10:23 AM.
