Kai
Kai
Arrival Date: August 14, 2024
Patient Profile
Name: Kai
Species: Green Sea Turtle
Weight: 2 pounds
Reason for visit: Boat strike
Location Found: Tavernier Key
Status Report
08/14/24: Rehab team received a call for help from Harry Harris park on Tavernier key. A small green sea turtle was located at the sea bottom with a large wound to its shell by a group of snorkelers. Named Kai by her rescuers, quickly showed our rehab team that she was a feisty little gal, but understandable after the day she’s had. The team began intake diagnostics of radiographs to get a better view of her shell damage, along with preliminary blood work. Dr. Norton and the rehab team also performed initial wound care and placed an antibiotic cream to the wound. This will help protect the injury while Kai rests today before they begin further wound care, as it’s been a very stressful day for this little green sea turtle.
08/22/24: Kai is doing very well adjusting to her new environment, at the moment the rehab team has a privacy shade over her tank to help give her space while guests pass by her tank. Diagnostic results show no spinal damage or damage to major organs. This is great news! Dr. Norton expects with time and support to her shell Kai will make a full recovery and go back to sea. Rehab teams have since applied an antimicrobial gauze and more topical cream to the wound. This will help support and brace her shell to heal correctly and prevent infection along the way. Kai is also eating very well and has been a wonderful patient for her rehab team.
09/01/24: This little one is doing great! Kai has made huge improvements since her arrival, swimming even stronger and faster! Her shell is still healing but has made great progress in closing. We are so happy for this little one. As she has become more bright and outgoing the rehab team has removed the privacy shade from her tank. She has become more curious of her surroundings and loves to munch on her veggies.
09/28/24: This week was very different for our current patients and resident sea turtles. As Hurricane Helene made its way through the gulf, The Turtle hospital prepared for the worst by relocating our turtles to the hospital tanks on land and larger hurricane tanks on land. These tanks are built to withstand a CAT 5 hurricane. All sea turtles within the tidal pool were evacuated out as the storm surge could pose a serious danger to our turtles. Kai was relocated to an indoor temporary pool alongside out hatchlings, to protect them from the storm. Her hospital tank was then used to help provide shelter to resident sea turtle Sekoi, a large adult green sea turtle. The Turtle Hospital was luckily only hit with heavy winds and rain, and back open to the public with minor damage from the strong winds. To see more on how we prepared our sea turtles for the storm check out our Instagram for videos.
Release
We are happy to announce Kai was released back out to sea on October 3, 2024 alongside a few fellow sea turtle patients who have successfully recovered from their injuries and illnesses. We are so happy this young lady made it back out to sea to continue her adventures out at sea.
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