Jaw-Dropping Discovery: Injured Loggerhead Sea Turtle Reveals Surprising Secret
JUNO BEACH, Fla. — In a stunning turn of events, a 302-pound loggerhead sea turtle known as Pennywise, who was struck by a boat off Florida’s Atlantic coast, was rushed to a turtle hospital for urgent treatment this week. Little did anyone know, Pennywise had a secret waiting to be unveiled during her recovery.
Too massive to be accommodated by the imaging equipment at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center or even the CT scanner at a nearby medical facility, Pennywise was eventually taken to Palm Beach Equine Clinic. Here, equipment typically used for horses was utilized to conduct a scan on the injured turtle.
The scan not only confirmed spinal trauma from the boat strike but also revealed that Pennywise, an adult female turtle, is carrying eggs.
“We hope we’ll be able to get her back out there into the wild as soon as possible so that she can lay those eggs,” said Dr. Heather Barron, the center’s chief science officer and veterinarian.
Loggerhead turtles, which are classified as endangered, usually lay multiple clutches of eggs in a single season. Despite Pennywise’s injuries, which were a result of blunt force trauma to her shell, she was found floating in the Atlantic by the Inwater Research Group and brought to the Juno Beach facility last Monday.
CT images depicted damage near Pennywise’s spinal cord, but Barron disclosed that the turtle currently exhibits no signs of neurological impairment. She is undergoing treatment with high-powered antibiotics and is closely monitored for any signs of improvement.
“Luckily, right now, her neurologic exam shows that all those nerves are intact. And that is a great sign,” Barron stated.
Barron emphasized that Pennywise’s case serves as a tragic reminder of how sea turtles returning to coastal waters during mating and nesting season often become victims of avoidable boat strikes. Florida’s turtle nesting season spans from March 1 to Oct. 31.
Authorities are urging boaters to exercise caution, slow down, and remain vigilant, especially within the Sea Turtle Protection Zone, which extends one mile off Florida’s Atlantic coastline.
Once Pennywise’s wound is fully healed and her health is stabilized, the objective is to release her back into the ocean to complete her nesting cycle. — Agencies
