Brevard Zoo Rescues Small Juvenile Green Sea Turtle Found Stranded in Melbourne Beach
By Space Coast Daily // March 16, 2022
Nebula was dehydrated and a little thin but pretty active once it arrived at the Sea Turtle Healing Center
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Nebula, a small juvenile green sea turtle, was found stranded in Melbourne Beach on February 16 by the Brevard Z0o. This little turtle presented with a laceration under its front right flipper and was also missing the majority of its rear left flipper, but that was fully healed before stranding.
Nebula was dehydrated and a little thin but pretty active once it arrived at the Sea Turtle Healing Center. Unfortunately, a couple of hours after intake they started to crash, and emergency procedures were needed.
It was given medications to stabilize their quickly dropping heart rate and were intubated so Brevard Zoo could breathe for them. Brevard Zoo’s staff was able to bring up the heart rate, but they were having a harder time regulating their breathing.
Eventually, Nebula was stable enough to be extubated and made it through the first night.
The small juvenile green sea turtle was a little stronger the next day and we were able to put them in a shallow pool. Once offered food, this little turtle started eating right away!
Brevard Zoo has had difficulty keeping the flipper laceration from bleeding, warranting daily bandage changes and evaluations.
