Vancouver Aquarium Reports Hypothermic Green Sea Turtle Steadily Heals

Summary: Less than one month after his Jan. 23 rescue, a hypothermic green sea turtle steadily heals at the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre.

Rescued green sea turtle chose squid over kale for first food intake Feb. 4: Vancouver Aquarium @vanaqua, via Twitter Feb. 5, 2016

Less than one month after rescue Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, a hypothermic green sea turtle steadily heals, eating food and reaching normal body temperatures, reports the Vancouver Aquarium via Facebook and Twitter Thursday, Feb. 4, and via Facebook Friday, Feb. 19.

A behind-the-scenes, live stream at the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre via Facebook Friday, Feb. 19, shows the no-longer hypothermic green sea turtle eating breakfast.

“Our patient is now healthy enough to be in water at all times and is eating a steady diet of squid and vegetables. While adult green sea turtles are herbivores, juveniles are omnivores,” the Vancouver Aquarium says in the good news update.

The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre has been caring for the no-longer hypothermic green sea turtle since its rescue Jan. 23. The beached, hypothermic green sea turtle was admitted in a distressed, lethargic state with a wounded carapace, or hard upper shell. At 11.2 degrees Celsius (52.16 degrees Fahrenheit), the temperature of the hypothermic green sea turtle was critically lower than the normal body temperature range of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius (68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit).

Dr. Martin Haulena, chief veterinarian at the Vancouver Aquarium, and Dr. Karisa Tang, the Aquarium’s veterinarian fellow, direct the care of the hypothermic green sea turtle. The initial treatment regimen for the hypothermic green sea turtle emphasizes antibiotics, fluid-intake of nutrients and slow raising of the thermostat by one or two degrees each day.

Green sea turtles display typical reptilian sensitivity to ambient temperatures.

“Reptiles are cold-blooded and they completely depend on their external environment to control their body temperature,” Dr. Haulena explains via the Vancouver Aquarium’s blog, Aqua Blog, Tuesday, Jan. 26, three days after the hypothermic green sea turtle’s admission.

“When they get into water that’s too cold they get hypothermia, also known as cold-stunning. Everything slows down: heart, respiration rates, they can’t swim, they can’t forage -- they get weaker and weaker,” Dr. Haulena adds.

On Thursday, Feb. 4, less than two weeks after admission, the no-longer hypothermic green sea turtle shows significant improvements in health. A post to Facebook includes a video of the healing patient.

“The green sea turtle rescued from Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on Jan. 23 continues to improve slowly. Its body temperature is back up into the normal range of 20 – 25 degrees Celsius, it’s going for regular saltwater swims, and today, it took food for the first time! While adult green sea turtles are herbivores, juveniles are omnivores, so its choice of squid over kale in this video might be another clue that we have a juvenile male on our hands, as we suspect,” states the Vancouver Aquarium’s post.

British Columbia does not fall within the traditional range inhabited by green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas). Waters warmed by El Niño likely lured the no-longer hypothermic green sea turtle almost 20 degrees north of traditional habitats located between the latitudes of 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south.

Green sea turtles are designated as an endangered species in their traditional range. Because they are not found naturally as far north as Canada’s Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific coasts, green sea turtles are not included on Canada-specific lists of endangered species.

Vancouver Aquarium’s most recent update on the no-longer hypothermic green sea turtle, posted via Facebook Friday, Feb. 19, reassures that “Green sea turtles are designated as endangered worldwide by the World Conservative Union (IUCN) Red List, and we are doing everything we can to get this turtle back into optimal health.”

green sea turtle range map: NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)/Office of Protected Resources, Public Domain, via NOAA NMFS

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Rescued green sea turtle chose squid over kale for first food intake Feb. 4: Vancouver Aquarium @vanaqua, via Twitter Feb. 4, 2016, @ https://twitter.com/vanaqua/status/695418153946382336

green sea turtle range map: NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)/Office of Protected Resources, Public Domain, via NOAA NMFS @ http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/rangemaps/green_turtle.pdf

For further information:

Marriner, Derdriu. "Hypothermic Green Sea Turtle Beached in British Columbia Far From Home." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/01/hypothermic-green-sea-turtle-beached-in.html

Vancouver Aquarium. "Rescued Sea Turtle Found Far From Home." AquaBlog. Jan. 26, 2016.
Available @ http://www.aquablog.ca/2016/01/rescued-sea-turtle-found-far-from-home/

Vancouver Aquarium @vanaqua. "The green sea turtle rescued from Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on Jan. 23 continues to improve slowly. Its body temperature is back up into the normal range of 20-25 degrees Celsius, it’s going for regular saltwater swims, and today, it took food for the first time! While adult green sea turtles are herbivores, juveniles are omnivores, so its choice of squid over kale in this video might be another clue that we have a juvenile male on our hands, as we suspect." Facebook. Feb. 4, 2016.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/vanaqua/videos/vb.7881420799/10153245571720800/

Vancouver Aquarium‏ @vanaqua. "The green sea turtle rescued last month continues to improve. Watch it eat its first meal!" Twitter. Feb. 4, 2016.
Available @ https://twitter.com/vanaqua/status/695418153946382336

Vancouver Aquarium @vanaqua. "LIVE: You're watching a live stream from behind the scenes at the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre where a rescued juvenile green sea turtle is having breakfast." Facebook. Feb. 19, 2016.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/vanaqua/videos/vb.7881420799/10153270496740800/