Successful surgical treatment of spear wounds in a Hawksbill Turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata (Testudines: Cheloniidae)

L. Bunkley-Williams,W.G. Dyer,A.A. Mignucci-Giannoni,E.H Williams Jr.,D.P. Moore

doi:10.15517/rbt.v56i0.5592

Abstract

Sea Turtles are frequently poached by spearing in the neck region and subsequently holding them alive until slaughter. Thus the ability of stranding networks to repair and rehabilitate these animals is of interest. Two Hawksbill Turtles, Eretmochelys imbricata, illegally collected by spear fishing 8 May 1993 were confis- cated by the Puerto Rico Maritime Police and referred to the Caribbean Stranding Network for rehabilitation (Case # NEPCH136). The lacerated cervical region of both animals was surgically repaired. One adult male turtle 67 cm in carapace length and weighing 46.8 km lacking additional injuries recovered and was released (flipper tags QQD915, QQD916). A juvenile female was 46.0 cm in carapace length and 15.2 kg in weight with additional injuries succumbed to bacteria (Proteus mirabilis and Serratia rubridea) infections despite treatment with ampicillin trihydrate. A necropsy found routine numbers and diversity of parasites that were reported elsewhere. This result demonstrates that speared sea turtles without further complications can be rehabilitated. Since this somewhat early surgery, new techniques have been developed to even more successfully manage

Highlights

The poachers of these turtles were prosecuted by the U.S Federal Court in Puerto Rico 8 September 1993
Surgical repair of injured wild sea turtles is becoming more common (e.g., Naganobu et al 2000, Jaeger et al 2003, Lewbart et al 2005), but many natural resource organizations are unaware of these advances and may unnecessarily euthanize injured turtles
It has proven almost impossible to sanitize wounds contaminated with sea water sufficiently to close them without allowing bacterial abscesses to develop

Summary

Introduction

Two hawksbill turtles with spear wounds in the cervical region were found aboard a boat off La Parguera by the Maritime Police. Both animals were given emergency medical care (pressure bandages applied to the puncture wounds to prevent further hemorrhage) on site before being transported to the CSN facility at the Magueyes Island Marine Laboratories, Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, 13:30 hrs 8 May 1993. Lidocaine was administered locally in the area of the puncture wounds.

Results

Conclusion