Sea Turtle Found With Spear In Its Neck Undergoes Treatment

After being found with a spear lodged in its neck, a 150-pound green sea turtle is receiving treatment and recovering in the process. It was spotted in a threatening condition in Marathon and the sea turtle was then taken to hospital for further treatment.

The Turtle was found tangled in a Trapline on Carysoft Reef off of Key Largo on Saturday, revealed Turtle Hospital manager Bette Zirkelbach.

This marks the second incident of a sea turtle being found with a spear skewering through its body. The first was a dead sea turtle recovered in Biscayne National Park and the spear struck its head.

Authorities are probing into the matter to find out who is responsible behind the recurring violence against the sea turtles.

“All species of sea turtles in and around the United States are listed as threatened or endangered. They are protected under the US Endangered Species Act of 1973 and Florida’s Marine Turtle Protection Act. The person(s) responsible for this act could face civil penalties or criminal charges resulting in large fines and prison time," 12 News quoted Zirkelbach as saying.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation rushed to the rescue of the turtle after they received a call from a boater who witnessed the emergence of the turtle. Followed by the incident, a rehabilitation specialist with the turtle hospital met officers at the dock in John Pennekamp Park to help aid the process of stabilizing and shifting the reptile to the hospital. X-rays have shown that the spear travelled deeper than expected into the turtle’s body thereby injuring it severely.

An emergency surgery was performed by Dr. Doug Mader who removed the three-foot-long spear. The Turtle, named ‘Splinter’ is now in a safe and medically sound condition at the Turtle Hospital. The spear was kept aside as evidence to assist the FWC investigators.

This, however, didn’t look like an accident to Zirkelbach and he believes that someone tried to stab it from below.

The turtle will be fit to be released as soon as the hospital gives a go-to.