Tag Archives: rehabilitation

Injured Loon at Key Vista Nature Park

Today while roaming around Key Vista Nature Park just next to the Anclote Power Plant we stumbled upon an injured loon laying along the bank of Rocky Creek. The Loon is a type of waterfowl like the Anhinga. It appeared to be injured. Even after being tapped with the side of a fishing pole the bird didn’t move an inch.  It only rotated its head a bit.  It was hard to say what the cause of the injury was.  The obvious thing is the fishing line wrapped around its beak, but other injuries could be possible.  We decided it would be Continue reading Injured Loon at Key Vista Nature Park

Cold Stunns

Cold stunned sea turtles are a common occurrence along the gulf coast.  It only takes water temperatures as low as 65 degrees for these cold-blooded creatures to become lethargic, according to Lauren Bell, a marine biologist in sea turtles and aquatic biology at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. “As of now there haven’t been any cold stunned turtles,” she said yesterday evening around sunset.  At the time, the water was hovering just above that critical 65 degree mark.   Because of air temperature in the mid 30s overnight, the water temperature at Pier 60 has fallen to 60°f as of 6:30am, 10 degrees almost overnight.  There is a strong possibility that at least a few lethargic, cold stunned turtles will need rehabilitation this morning.

Sea Turtle Release

Loggerhead turtles make up the majority of the nesting turtles along the northern Pinellas county beaches. Hatchlings incubate for about two months in the nest. Since the main nesting months are from May to October, the hatchling emergence often occurs during the peak of the hurricane season, between August and October. This puts the hatchlings at risk of being washed back onto the beaches of the coast, exhausted from battling ocean waves in their attempt to get out to the weed-line many miles offshore. Once the turtles get washed onto shore they become especially at risk of mortality. Fortunately, there are many caring people who watch over the turtles, doing what they can to preserve the reptile.