UF veterinarians play key role in turtle rescue

An initial influx of about 25 green sea turtles turned into more than 80 that received care and support from UF veterinarians in mid-January following record cold temperatures throughout the state. The unprecedented cold snap of below-freezing temperatures for several days posed a severe health threat to thousands of the green turtles, already an endangered species.

Some 5,000 "cold-stunned" sea turtles were collected from the sea at various locations and transported to rescue facilities throughout the state over a 10-day period. About 20 percent of those turtles died. The remainder have been released back into the wild or are being cared for by various rehabilitation facilities.

"Initially, we didn't have a clear idea how large it was going to get," said Dr. Brian Stacy, a clinical assistant professor in UF's Aquatic Animal Health program and a contract veterinarian with the National Marine Fisheries Service. "The role we played was to house as many fibropapilloma turtles as we could so that other rehab centers that don't keep those kinds of turtles would not have to deal with the biosecurity that the condition requires."

Fibropapillomatosis is associated with a virus and manifests as wartlike growths. Veterinary professionals like to keep infected turtles separate from turtles without the condition for health reasons. Fibropapillomatosis is 40 percent to 60 percent prevalent in one of the primary areas affected by the cold. It is most worrisome when tumors are large and numerous or when the growths appear in or around the eyes, threatening the animals' vision and their ability to find food.

Stacy worked with state and federal wildlife agencies to coordinate rescue efforts all over Florida. He was involved in initial health assessments, triage, treatment and release efforts, helping to determine which turtles needed further care at rehabilitation facilities.

"Some of the turtles were actually responsive between 12 to 24 hours and could be released," Stacy said. "We were identifying those with buoyancy issues, severe tumors, turtles with eye problems or that showed other types of trauma. We were also concerned about turtles that were very thin, since those would need to be kept longer."

Other members of the Aquatic Animal Health team assisted in various ways. Dr. Mike Walsh and Dr. Jim Wellehan managed the clinical treatment of turtles coming into UF, with help from zoo medicine resident Dr. Natalie Hall, aquatic animal health resident Dr. Jenny Meegan, aquatic animal health instructor Dr. Nicole Stacy, veterinary technicians Jennifer Muller and Linda Archer, biological scientist Heather Daniel and many other veterinary student and staff volunteers. Biological scientist Mike Sapper, who works in the anatomy laboratory, helped set up tubs and pools in advance of the turtles' arrival. Aquatic Animal Health Program Director Ruth Francis-Floyd helped with water quality management and other logistical aspects that were coordinated and put into place within a day, and with very little notice.

"Most of the turtles we got we were able to save, but some we lost," he said. "Most were subsequently released and two were held back for removal of fibropapillomas. One of those turtles has been discharged to a rehabilitation facility and another is still being held for possible surgery."

Stacy said the weeklong rescue effort was challenging for many who volunteered to help out, but that overall he felt the overall response was "incredibly positive."

"We were able to get large numbers of turtles back into the wild in an appropriate manner," he said. "This was an unprecedented situation. We had twice as many strandings as we deal with in a given year, and over a period of 10 days."

It is unclear what the extent of the overall effect of the recent freezes on sea turtle populations will be, Stacy said.

"Green sea turtle nesting has risen in recent years, but this event was a concern especially because it involved so many larger turtles. It takes an animal an estimated 20 to 30 years or longer to become sexually mature, so when that demographic is affected, it's a concern," he said.