48 Community News
Ponte Vedra Recorder · October 29, 2015
Luke Gregoire, 3, from St. Augustine gives a high-five to “Barry” the sea turtle mascot.
Turtle
Continued from 43
Photos by Carrie Resch
The treatment room: Steven Nelson, certified veterinary technician at the sea turtle hospital,
answers visitors’ questions during the grand opening celebration.
using the center’s sea water system or it
can be self-contained for quarantined sea
turtles or for other special circumstances,
for example, if red tide is present in the
area.
The sea turtle center fills a void we’ve
had here in Northeast Florida, sea turtle
founding trustee committee member, John
Perkner articulated. Prior to the opening of
this facility, injured or sick sea turtles found
in Northeast Florida had to be transported
miles away for treatment, the closest treatment and rehabilitation facility being the
Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island.
The Sea Turtle Hospital at Whitney will
also treat turtles affected by the Fibropapilloma virus, a mysterious disease that impacts the health and well-being of sea turtles. Through the Fibropapilloma research
initiative. Faculty at the sea turtle hospital
will also be researching the mysterious virus in order to better understand it.
TURTLE continues on Page 49
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