Meet the Mote Sea Turtles

Sea Turtles

Hang Tough is a green sea turtle brought to Mote from Bull Bay in Charlotte Harbor in 1992. Hang Tough had a hook in one eye and a puncture wound to the top of the head, along with a skull fracture. The turtle’s other eye was recessed and permanently closed. Because Hang Tough was permanently blind, state officials decided that the turtle could not be released. By caring for him since that time, Mote scientists and animal care experts have learned much about the nutrition habits of green turtles, how to care for a blind turtle and the reasons why some turtles are blind.

Shelley & Montego are adult female loggerhead sea turtles that were born in North Carolina in 1977. These animals, along with three male loggerhead turtles, were reared in captivity and participated in growth and mating studies. When those studies ended, the male turtles were sent to Orlando and the females – later named Shelley and Montego in an essay contest for school children – came to Mote to help educate the public about sea turtles.

Edgar is a juvenile loggerhead sea turtle that came to Mote as a hatchling – baby turtle – in 1992. Edgar was found by members of Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation Program who monitor more than 30 miles of Southwest Florida beaches for sea turtle activity during the May through October sea turtle nesting season.

The sea turtle volunteers and staff walk the beaches to determine the number of turtle nests and hatchlings each season, and set up devices to make sure that nests are protected from predators and other dangers. Part of that work involves excavating nests where hatchlings have emerged, to make sure there are no turtles left behind.

Edgar was found during one such excavation with unusually light pigmentation and in an extremely lethargic condition. His light color put him at risk for sunburn (that’s right, even turtles can get sunburns).

This turtle was deemed unreleasable by state officials and has been living at Mote ever since. Edgar helped animal care experts learn how to feed baby turtles, which enables staff to take care of other sick hatchlings until they can be released.