Meet our four permanent residents below that are up for adoption*!

Hanson Buoy, Montel, Bender, and April cannot be returned to the wild due to their injuries. Your contribution of $35.00 a year helps provide food and medicine for your adopted sea turtle. You will receive a biography, certificate of adoption, a picture magnet of your turtle, and updates on your turtle throughout the year. Adopt today and become part of the sea turtle family!

How To Adopt:

You are welcome to send a check or money order for $35.00 indicating which turtle you are interested in adopting to:

Or adopt online by clicking here: Turtle Hospital Store

*Please note that this adoption is conceptual and in no way implies ownership of a sea turtle. Thank you for your interest!

Meet the turtles!

Hanson Buoy:

Howdy! My name is Hanson Buoy and this is my second visit to The Turtle Hospital. I was brought to the hospital in 1994 as a hatchling. I was part of Fibropapillomatosis Research Study. I was released in November in 1997. On June 17, 2017 I was found at Little Palm Island, in the Florida Keys, with a vessel strike to my back.  Doctors diagnosed me with “Bubble Butt Syndrome” also known as “Positive Buoyancy Disorder” which makes me a permanent resident at the hospital. Living the best life at The Turtle Hospital, lots of food, wonderful friends, and lazy days just floating in the pool.

Montel:

Hey! My name is Montel and I love squid! Lettuce is alright, but I really like squid the best. I’ve been here at the Hospital since April of 2001. I was tangled in some monofilament fishing line near Avalon Park and a shark bit me because I couldn’t get away fast enough. Then these tumors started growing on me. Then when I was floating on the surface, minding my own business, feeling kind of sad, a boat hit me! I have only one eye and half a front flipper left, but I don’t let that get me down! I’m also skilled at sneaking up behind unsuspecting caregivers and biting them when they go snorkeling in the pool!

April:

I’m April. That’s because that is when I arrived here back in 1991. I had uncomfortable tumors growing all over me. Eventually they grew over my eye so I could hardly see and that’s when I was brought to The Turtle Hospital where they took my tumors off. Unfortunately, they were not able to save my right eye. I cannot see very well in my left eye, only shadow vision. I glide around slowly so I don’t bump into anything. Sometimes I swim in circles, and it’s very hard for me to find my food, but the rehab staff here are very good about making sure the other turtles don’t steal it from me. I’m a pretty laid back gal and I like a little lettuce with my squid.

Bender:

Happy to meet you! I’m Bender. I’m one of the rarest sea turtles on Earth! In 2005 a boat hit me so hard that now I float if I don’t have a weight on my shell. My left front flipper had to be amputated as well due to an entanglement. I’m rarely found at the surface unless it’s time for breakfast! I LOVE squid with shrimp stuffed inside them. Sometimes the fish in the pool are too fast and steal my food. After breakfast, I dive to the deepest darkest place to keep the other turtles from bothering me. Some people think I look like a ghost in the water because I’m a grayish-white color all over. Look fast! If you see me, I’ll be gone in a flash.