Featured Image Credit: National Geographic
By Laura Lillycrop
The single greatest threat to sea turtles is fishing gear. Each year, sea turtles are captured, injured, or killed by fishermen attempting to retrieve other fish. Many of these injuries and even deaths take place while turtles are migrating through fishing areas. The turtles are attracted to the bait on the hook, then either ingest the material or become entangled in the line.
Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park’s newest patient, Meeko, was rescued near the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier and was actually brought to the center for this very reason. But her story is one step above many others – and not in a good way. Hidden inside of her digestive system were eight hooks and a lead weight. On top of this mass, the material was accompanied by three pounds of fishing line, lures and hooks on her shell and flippers. Madness.
“Sea turtles are very non-selective in what they try to eat,” according to the Gulfarium’s Allen McDowell. Hundreds of thousands of endangered or threatened sea turtles, whales, and other marine mammals die each year from ocean pollution entanglement and ingestion of marine debris.
The female loggerhead sea turtle was named Meeko after the raccoon who was a bottomless pit from Disney’s “Pocahontas.” It’s safe to say that she is now munching on much safer treats. According to the staff, Meeko is devouring every scrap of squid, capelin, clams, and shrimp. As her rehabilitation continues, the caregivers at Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park will assess the sea turtle’s condition on a daily basis while the hooks continue to pass through (and hopefully out) the turtle’s intestines. This process could take up to two weeks. However, the material will have to be removed surgically if the digestion process does not happen naturally.
Aside from her stash of hidden fishing gear, the 111-pound sea turtle seems to be on the upswing of recovery. According to McDowell, her weight and blood work look good, and she is very alert. The recovery progress will be documented in a three-part series following the rehabilitation and release of Meeko.
While this story may be on the road to a happy ending, many other sea turtles face a plethora of life and death obstacles, such as this one, on a daily basis. To see what really threatens sea turtle survival, we must look at the actions of humans. In the hopes of reducing the amount of human related animal injuries, centers such as the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park are supporting innovations in fishing gear and raising awareness through education.