Rare Sea Turtle Rescued by Mote after Swallowing Balloon

An endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) has been brought to Mote Marine Laboratory's Sea Turtle Hospital after it swallowed a balloon - an episode that we hope will remind residents and visitors to stow their trash carefully.

The 3.3-pound young turtle with a carapace 8.7 inches long washed up on a sandbar near the south end of Lido Key on Tuesday, July 14, with what appeared to be fishing line hanging from its mouth. Concerned swimmers called Mote biologists, who brought the Kemp's ridley to Mote's Sea Turtle Hospital.

Before removing the pink line, which had scraped skin from the turtle's face, Mote staff used radiographs to verify that the turtle had not swallowed a fishing hook. Instead, they found remnants of a black balloon.

"Balloons can look like jellyfish or squid - things sea turtles like to eat," said Senior Biologist Kristen Mazzarella of Mote's Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program. "It's extremely common to find sea turtles that have swallowed balloons, fishing hooks, monofilament lines and other dangerous objects."

Swallowing trash can injure or kill sea turtles, all of which are considered endangered or threatened under federal law. Kemp's ridleys, among the smallest and the rarest of the world's seven sea turtle species, have visited Sarasota County only a handful of times to nest, but Mote's Sea turtle hospital has rehabilitated dozens because of illness, disorientation and other problems.

Mote's new Kemp's ridley patient, nicknamed Anakin, is receiving fluids, antibiotics and food at the Sea Turtle Hospital. The turtle, which arrived anemic and dehydrated, is being closely monitored for any additional health problems. It will be released into wild if appropriate.

Anakin is Mote's first turtle with a bellyful of balloon, but perhaps not the last.

"We pick up a lot of balloons wrapped in seaweed from local beaches," said Mazzarella of Mote's Sea Turtle Patrol — a team of staff, interns and volunteers who monitor sea turtle nesting every day on 35 miles of Sarasota county beaches during nesting season, May through October.

"To protect sea turtles and other wildlife, we recommend that people dispose of trash in the appropriate containers and recycle it when possible," Mazzarella said. "If you see trash washing up on the beach, pick it up before the tide takes it back out to sea."

If you see a stranded or dead sea turtle, dolphin or whale within Sarasota or Manatee County waters, please call Mote's Stranding Investigations Program, a 24-hour response service, at 941-988-0212. If you see a stranded or dead manatee anywhere in state waters or a stranded or dead dolphin, whale or sea turtle outside of Sarasota or Manatee counties please call the FWC Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

                

Media: For photos of the Kemp's ridley, please contact Hayley Rutger, public relations specialist, at 941-388-4441, ext. 365, 941-374-0081 or hrutger@mote.org.

What happens to all that summer rain? Answers are just a phone call away - the new free Watershed Mobile Phone Audio Tour created by the Science and Environment Council of Sarasota County (SEC) and its partners explores local watersheds and the organizations that focus on them, including Mote Marine Laboratory.

Dial 941-926-6813 to hear 15 different educational messages about our watershed that were recorded by narrators at SEC and its partner organizations with support from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Watersheds - land areas that drain rain into rivers, lakes, bays and other bodies of water - host important ecosystems that filter out pollutants and support wildlife. Healthy watersheds mean healthier water bodies and better lives for the animals, plants and people depending on them.

Sarasota County has five major watersheds. You can visit important watershed habitats and organizations mentioned in the audio tour while listening to the messages on your cell phone. Messages include how litter and pollution affect sea life, how wetlands play important roles in watersheds, how you can save water using rain barrels, and of course, how scientists at Mote study watersheds.

Mote's Center for Coastal Ecology developed a unique method to check the health of tidal creeks, which can carry heavily polluted water runoff from land to the sea. Learn more by dialing up the audio tour. Other topics and participants include:

Wetlands - Sarasota County's Celery Fields
Ecosystems - Crowley Museum and Nature Center
Water Quality - G.WIZ - The Science Museum
Mangroves - Historic Spanish Point,
Sea grasses - Sarasota County's Indian Mound Park at Lemon Bay
Bay Neighbor Landscaping - New College
Tree Canopies - New College
Prescribed Burns - Oscar Scherer State Park
Exotic Plant Removal - Sarasota County's Phillippi Estate Park
Estuaries - Sarasota Bay Estuary Program
Land Conservation - Sarasota Conservation Foundation
Green Roofs - Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Rain Barrels and Cisterns - Florida House Green Design Center
Water Quantity - Aquarian Quest.

Mote's Center for Coastal Ecology is dedicated to understanding the past, present, and future ecology of Florida's coastal waters - especially rivers and bays - and developing scientific methods for their restoration and stewardship. Learn more by visiting www.mote.org and clicking "Science."

SEC is a collaboration of non-profit and government organizations that operate or support conservation and science-based facilities with environmental missions. Learn more at www.secsc.org.