Juvenile Green Turtle ‘Amaretto’ Finds New Home at Brevard Zoo After Being Stranded in Satellite Beach

turtle showed signs of possible spinal damage

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – ‘Amaretto’, a juvenile green sea turtle, was found stranded in Satellite Beach on November 17. Upon arrival, they were thin, lethargic, and sporting an older wound across the spine.

Amaretto showed signs of possible spinal damage, like chronic gas and partial paralysis of the rear flippers, so a CT scan was warranted.

The scan confirmed that Amaretto’s spinal canal was affected by the injury, but there is will communication between the vertebrae.

Amaretto is buoyant in the water, which is typical of these sea turtles with spinal injuries.

Brevard Zoo will spend this patient’s stay assessing just how well this turtle can use the water column and do “normal sea turtle things” with this injury.

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