This photo show Julienne Fry, one of our soon-to-be released sea turtle patients, during treatment at the Sea Turtle Healing Center.

This Thursday, Jan. 16, we have not one, not two but THREE sea turtle releases planned!  

Our Sea Turtle Healing Center will be saying goodbye to juvenile green sea turtles Julienne Fry, Spooky and Watermelon at 2 p.m. from James H. Nance Park, 201 N. Miramar Ave. in Indialantic.  Please prepare to arrive early to pay to park and get your spot on the beach! 

Sea turtle releases are typically rain or shine – but there’s always the potential to delay or cancel the release due to severe weather (we’ll update our Facebook page with any delays or cancellations).  

Julienne Fry 

Julienne Fry was found struggling in the water of Sebastian Inlet. They were wrapped in fishing line and rope, which was attached to another turtle who was unfortunately deceased. Both of these turtles were stuck to a discarded pile of PVC, netting and fishing line. 

To avoid tragic cases like Julienne Fry’s, please pick up any fishing materials – whether it’s yours or someone else’s – that you find on the beach or in the water. Fishing lines, hooks, nets and pots pose a serious threat to marine life. 

Coastal Connections brought “J. Fry” to our Healing Center for care on Aug. 12, 2024 – Julienne Fries Day. J. Fry didn’t have any major injuries, but their bloodwork showed signs of severe stress. Our animal care team immediately dispensed fluids to help with lactate buildup and antibiotics for subsequent wounds.  

An e-tube helped give Julienne Fry sustenance until they were ready to eat on their own. This sea turtle had fibropapillomatosis, or FP, a debilitating disease that causes external and internal tumors to grow all over a turtle’s body and can cause a host of issues. While there is no cure for FP, our Healing Center is one of a few that can treat sea turtles with this disease. Julienne Fry had FP removal surgery followed by supportive postoperative care.  

While at our Healing Center, J. Fry lived in a half tank shared with another sea turtle – and loved to swim around and try to get past the divider.   

Watermelon 

Found floating along a marina in Cape Canaveral on National Watermelon Day, Watermelon arrived at our Healing Center with evidence they had interacted with some fishing materials. Thank you to the Sea Turtle Preservation Society for Watermelon’s transport to our Healing Center! Fishing line was wrapped tightly around their left front flipper and a fibropapilloma tumor on the right front flipper. More was wrapped loosely around their neck, as well.  

A CT scan and x-rays found that this sea turtle had ingested some hooks as well. Those hooks were removed by surgery through the esophagus and guided by GI scope. Our Healing Center team used famotinide to protect Watermelon’s gastrointestinal tract as the fishing line was passed. Watermelon also underwent FP removal surgery.  

Watermelon will stand out in our Healing Center team’s memory for their arrival covered in mud.  

“Once they had a freshwater bath, it revealed strikingly beautiful radiating stripes on each scute of the carapace,” said Shanon Gann, our Sea Turtle Program Manager. 

Spooky 

Spooky the sea turtle came to our Healing Center on Oct. 19, 2024, after being found washed ashore off of Highway A1A near Patrick Space Force Base. Spooky’s name was inspired by their “spooky” Halloween-time arrival to our Healing Center. Thank you to the Sea Turtle Preservation Society for Spooky’s transport to our Healing Center! The juvenile was lethargic and slightly dehydrated. Spooky had buoyancy issues due to gastrointestinal gas as well as fibropapilloma tumors on their body.  

Our Healing Center team helped get Spooky’s gastrointestinal tract moving with antibiotics, simethicone, mineral oil and transfaunation – the transfer of microfauna from a healthy patient to support GI healing in another. Spooky also underwent FP removal surgery and received postoperative care. A curious turtle, Spooky made sure to explore all the enrichment items in their tank daily once the gastrointestinal issues were resolved.