Dr Joe with turtle

Be ready for a story of an endangered Kemp’s Ridley female sea turtle with a happy ending! 
Our head veterinarian, Dr. Joe Flanagan has been working to save sea turtles for many years now.  He is the main sea turtle vet in the area and knows no limits when it comes to helping the species.  Last Memorial Day, a large female endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle was found by sea turtle beach patrol staff digging a nest in the sand on a Galveston beach.  The team immediately noticed that she had sustained severe injuries.  She had attempted to dig 3 nests, but had not dropped any eggs.  They rushed her to the Houston Zoo’s veterinary clinic for treatment and examination by Dr. Joe.
 
Upon arrival Dr. Joe was alarmed by the state of this female Sea turtle.  He has seen many injured and stranded sea turtles over the years and tries to remain optimistic for most of his cases, but Joe later admitted he was very doubtful this one would survive her injuries.  She had lost a lot of blood and her carapace or shell was severely damaged, it was clear she had been impacted by a boat propeller. 

Identification tags revealed that Joe had met this turtle before.  He discovered that he had released her as a baby turtle almost 20 years prior.  She was a Head-start (a process where individuals of a species are sheltered in captivity through the more vulnerable stages of development and then released where they were found) turtle released in1992.  This case quickly became very near and dear to his heart. 
After Joe had done everything he could for the turtle at the Zoo’s clinic she was transported to the sea turtle Barn in Galveston to recover.  She laid the eggs she had attempted to deposit on the Galveston beach.  Many of them were viable and sent to Padre Island to be incubated and hatched.  Her offspring were released later in the year. 
Joe visited her at the Galveston Turtle Barn many times throughout the year, delighted to see her respond to his many treatments.  The skin has healed nicely and although there is a potion of her carapace/shell missing, but it does not affect her ability to swim.  He was very excited to announce recently that she is fit to be released.  Almost a year from finding her severely damaged body on the beach she is ready to go back to the wild!

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