Endangered turtle speared, rewards are offered for perpetrator
By KEVIN WADLOW
August 06, 2011
For an endangered sea turtle shot through the head with a spear, Sarah seems to be doing pretty well. "This turtle must be living a charmed life," said Richie Moretti, founder of the Turtle Hospital in Marathon. "At least since the moment when she got speared."
The 125-pound juvenile loggerhead was found off Big Pine Key late Wednesday. After treatment, she could be released in about a month, if her recovery proceeds as expected.
A reward fund for information leading to the arrest of the person who fired the powerful spear gun at the protected marine reptile now tops $1,000.
"Everybody who hears about this is incensed to see one of our animals hurt so senselessly," Moretti said.
Moretti offered a $500 reward, which was quickly matched by the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen's Association. "Keys commercial fishermen are always very much concerned about our marine environment," said Executive Director Bill Kelly. "We work very closely with Richie Moretti and the Turtle Hospital."
Islamorada backcountry guide Matt Bellinger added three full fishing days aboard his Bamboo Charters boat to the fund. "Turtles have held a special place in Matt's heart since he was a marine biology student," said his wife, Anna.
Around sunset Wednesday, Nick Borg of Big Pine Key was fishing with his father about three miles offshore, midway to Looe Key Reef, when they spotted the sea turtle struggling at the surface, the shaft of an aluminum spear protruding from its skull.
After calling the U.S. Coast Guard, the Borgs were asked to take the turtle aboard and meet Turtle Hospital manager JoEllen Basile on shore.
Turtle Hospital veterinarian Doug Mader and a rescue unit from Big Pine Key Fire Station 13 also responded. Firefighters had to use their power tools to cut the spear in half so the wounded animal could fit in the Turtle Hospital's van.
The would-be poacher unintentionally "made a perfect shot to not seriously hurt the turtle," Moretti said. "It basically went through the skull but missed the eye."
"Everybody did exactly the right thing to keep this turtle alive. She might not have lasted another day in the wild," Moretti said.
"We kept her out of the water until Thursday, then put her into a tank," he said. "She was very happy to see some sea water."
Rescuers named the turtle Sarah after Borgs' daughter, although the sex of the relatively young animal is a guess -- loggerhead sea turtles do not reach sexual maturity until age 25 or so.
Turtle medics will keep a watch for infection over the coming weeks. "Right now, it looks like this story will have a happy ending," Moretti said. He added, "Now we have to find the person who did this to her." About three months ago, the remains of a turtle -- its meat cut away -- were discovered in a Big Pine canal.
No arrests were made in that case. Also, the butchered remains of a turtle were discovered in Marathon three years ago.
Anyone with information on the spearing case can call the Turtle Hospital at 743-2552.
The 125-pound juvenile loggerhead was found off Big Pine Key late Wednesday. After treatment, she could be released in about a month, if her recovery proceeds as expected.
A reward fund for information leading to the arrest of the person who fired the powerful spear gun at the protected marine reptile now tops $1,000.
"Everybody who hears about this is incensed to see one of our animals hurt so senselessly," Moretti said.
Moretti offered a $500 reward, which was quickly matched by the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen's Association. "Keys commercial fishermen are always very much concerned about our marine environment," said Executive Director Bill Kelly. "We work very closely with Richie Moretti and the Turtle Hospital."
Islamorada backcountry guide Matt Bellinger added three full fishing days aboard his Bamboo Charters boat to the fund. "Turtles have held a special place in Matt's heart since he was a marine biology student," said his wife, Anna.
Around sunset Wednesday, Nick Borg of Big Pine Key was fishing with his father about three miles offshore, midway to Looe Key Reef, when they spotted the sea turtle struggling at the surface, the shaft of an aluminum spear protruding from its skull.
After calling the U.S. Coast Guard, the Borgs were asked to take the turtle aboard and meet Turtle Hospital manager JoEllen Basile on shore.
Turtle Hospital veterinarian Doug Mader and a rescue unit from Big Pine Key Fire Station 13 also responded. Firefighters had to use their power tools to cut the spear in half so the wounded animal could fit in the Turtle Hospital's van.
The would-be poacher unintentionally "made a perfect shot to not seriously hurt the turtle," Moretti said. "It basically went through the skull but missed the eye."
"Everybody did exactly the right thing to keep this turtle alive. She might not have lasted another day in the wild," Moretti said.
"We kept her out of the water until Thursday, then put her into a tank," he said. "She was very happy to see some sea water."
Rescuers named the turtle Sarah after Borgs' daughter, although the sex of the relatively young animal is a guess -- loggerhead sea turtles do not reach sexual maturity until age 25 or so.
Turtle medics will keep a watch for infection over the coming weeks. "Right now, it looks like this story will have a happy ending," Moretti said. He added, "Now we have to find the person who did this to her." About three months ago, the remains of a turtle -- its meat cut away -- were discovered in a Big Pine canal.
No arrests were made in that case. Also, the butchered remains of a turtle were discovered in Marathon three years ago.
Anyone with information on the spearing case can call the Turtle Hospital at 743-2552.
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