Ludwig The Sea Turtle Has New Lease On Life Thanks To Aquarium

CLEARWATER, FL — After spending a month at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Ludwig the green sea turtle is back in the swim of things in his home surf along the Pinellas County coast.

A juvenile turtle, Ludwig was found washed ashore on Indian Rocks Beach on Feb. 2. Marine veterinarians at the aquarium said he had a low body temperature and an impaction in his digestive tract caused by seagrass and other matter.

When the seagrass was removed, Ludwig's condition immediately improved. The aquarium's veterinarian and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved Ludwig's release.

On Wednesday, the little turtle was released at Morgan Beach Park in Belleair Beach, and eagerly headed into the ocean. Ludwig's rehabilitation and release comes less than two weeks after the aquarium released another juvenile turtle, Nerds, back into his habitat.

Nerds' recovery wasn't nearly as fast as Ludwig's.

On Oct. 24, he was found entangled in a fishing line in Pasco County. Not only was the fishing line wrapped around the turtle's neck, but X-rays revealed that he had ingested some fishing line, causing gastrointestinal issues.

Fortunately, the veterinary team was able to remove the fishing line without performing invasive surgery. The team also removed fibropapilloma tumors (pap tumors) from the turtle.

After several months of healing, Nerds reached his goal weight and was cleared for release by the aquarium's veterinarian and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. He was released March 10 at Fred Howard Park in Tarpon Springs.

Working in conjunction with the FWC and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium rescue team responds to calls of sick, injured and dead marine animals along the west coast of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Hernando, Pasco, Citrus and Levy counties.

The team is made up of staff veterinarians, biologists, interns and volunteers specially trained to rescue and care for dolphins, whales, porpoises, sea turtles, manatees and North American river otters.

The majority of patients at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium are sea turtles suffering from various issues, including buoyancy disorders, cold stun symptoms, fibropapilloma tumors and boat strike or entanglement injuries.

The aquarium's sea turtle rehab center is one of only six facilities in Florida that treat sea turtles with the fibropapilloma virus. This virus causes the growth of tumors that can be removed surgically.

In addition to the main facility in Clearwater, the aquarium opened its marine mammal stranding station at Fred Howard Park following the stranding of five pilot whales off Redington Beach on July 29, 2019,

The facility’s open-air 75,000-gallon holding pool measures 40 feet across and is surrounded by a wood deck for access and observation. The station, which is not open to the public, is secluded inside the coastal park to reduce noise and exposure to people while marine animals are recuperating.

Since 2010, the aquarium has rescued 1,200 sea turtles.

Click hereto learn about other animals rescued by the aquarium.