Adult Female Green Hit By Boat

Saturday afternoon Boca Raton Sea Turtle Program received a call from Captain Bob aboard the Lady Go Diver. Divers had discovered a large turtle upside down on the ocean floor near Ocean Front Park in Boynton Beach. The turtle was pulled on board and Turtle Specialists David Anderson and Cody Mott met the boat at the dock. The divers helped the turtle specialists hoist the turtle into the bed of a truck. The turtle was transported back to Gumbo Limbo to conduct the stranding/salvage report.

It was identified as a female green turtle with a carapace (shell) length of 3 feet and 4 inches with an estimated weight of 350-400lbs. There were numerous propeller gashes on the front and rear of the carapace. The injuries were catastrophic and were the cause of death.

Turtle Specialists along with the help of Evan Orellana and Dr. Jeanette Wyneken conducted a partial necropsy. Dr. Wyneken harvested the heart and part of the lungs. The organs will be used in the final piece of a study of the pulmonary artery of adult sea turtles. The head of the turtle was also kept. The skull will be cleaned and used by Gumbo Limbo and the Turtle Specialists for educational purposes.

During the necropsy hundreds of follicles (developing eggs) were seen, identifying the turtle as a female. She had previously nested and was getting ready to nest again when she was hit by the boat. 

It is unfortunate that this perfectly healthy and productive adult turtle was taken out of the population. Such an incident should be a reminder to everyone how brutal the impact of humans can be on turtles, the ocean, and the entire planet.

Special thanks goes out to the Captain Bob, the crew of the a Lady Go Diverand all on board Saturday morning for there help.