Featured Image Credit: Vancouver Aquarium
By Alice Morris
Comber, a Pacific green turtle, was one of those lucky survivors who washed up in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve back in January.
When Parks Canada staff discovered him, Comber was suffering from hypothermia and dehydration so severe that officials from the Vancouver Aquarium initially couldn’t tell if he was still alive.
By slowly warming the turtle back up, the aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre was able to save Comber’s life. Three months of rehabilitation and two transfers later, one from B.C. to the Seattle aquarium and the next to SeaWorld San Diego, Comber was finally released back into the wild on October 20th.
Staff at SeaWorld waited for the ideal ocean temperature to set Comber free off the coast of California, but before saying their final goodbyes, veterinary staff at the Vancouver Aquarium fitted Comber with a satellite tag so that they can track his progress as he adjusts to life back in the ocean.
The aquarium also provided an online map to the public so anyone can track Comber’s journey along the Pacific coast.
Comber’s recovery is a big deal for Canada, as he is believed to be the country’s first successfully rehabilitated sea turtle released back into the wild.
Pacific green sea turtles are a threatened species on the U.S. West Coast and the largest of the hard-shell sea turtles, weighing up to 350 pounds. Due to severe storms and other adverse weather conditions, they occasionally become displaced farther north than their usual range where the colder water can lead to illness and injury that may cause an animal to become stranded.
Learn more about Comber’s recovery and sea turtle rescue here and a big thank you to all those in Canada and the U.S. who helped restore the sea turtle to good health.
Good luck Comber on your continued adventures!