Sea Turtle Arrives at Toledo Zoo
An injured green sea turtle has found its forever home at the Toledo Zoo, arriving from the Florida Keys based Turtle Hospital just in time for the grand opening of the new Aquarium on Friday, March 27.
Weighing about 35 pounds, the turtle is a juvenile -- less than 10 years old -- and has not reached sexual maturity, so its gender cannot yet be determined.
In June of 2013 the sea turtle, Tink, was found floating in the Indian River Lagoon in Florida and brought to SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida for rehabilitation. Because the turtle had been fitted with a PIT tag, it recorded that Tink was previously stranded as a cold stunned turtle and released in 2010. Following the 2013 rescue, other injuries not previously recorded were found: an old injury that had healed but resulted in malformation of the carapace (shell) and limited mobility with the rear flippers that created buoyancy issues. While the cause of these injuries is uncertain, they were likely from by a boat strike. Turtles struck by boats are often left floating, possibly due to trapped air and damage to lungs, muscles and nerves. Floating turtles are unable to submerge and remain at the water’s surface, which can be dangerous. Weights have been attached to the rear of Tink’s shell to aid in diving and submerging. Due to these permanent injuries, Florida wildlife officials deemed Tink non-releasable and requiring human care to survive.
Most recently, Tink lived at the Turtle Hospital, a rehabilitation center for injured sea turtles located in Marathon, Florida Keys, to look for a forever home placement. Tink will reside permanently at the newly renovated Aquarium’s Gulf of Mexico exhibit, at over 27,000 gallons, the second largest exhibit in the Aquarium and one of the first visitors will see as they enter. Serving as an ambassador Tink will assist in the Zoo’s mission, inspiring hundreds of thousands of annual visitors to join in caring for animals and conserving the natural world. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) lists the species as endangered.
As the Opening Weekend, sponsored by Kroger, approaches visit www.toledozoo.org/aquarium for details.
Press Release Contact Name: Andi Norman
Press Release Contact Email: [email protected]
Press Release Contact Phone: 419.385.5721
Organization Name: Toledo Zoo
Organization Address: Toledo, OH