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 CORENETTA
LOGGERHEAD

Caretta caretta

Juvenile
  ADMIT 
OCT 19, 2004		 RELEASED
JUNE 7, 2006
Weight  42.8 kg  67.5 kg
SCL:   cm  69.4 kg*
missing tip
SCW:  58.2 cm  65.0 cm
THE STRANDING Found in a pound net with the tip of the carapace missing and plastron injuries.  Possible shark bite.
THE TREATMENT
MAY 05

   

Our own Karen Sota interviews Cornetta.


Karen Sota: Good morning, Corenetta.

(No Answer) 

KS: Oh Corenetta….

C: I’m coming, what’s the rush? 

KS: Our readers want to hear all about you.

C: I really don’t like to talk about myself; I’m not like that chatterbox Stacy who never shuts up. Day and night it’s glub, glub, glub. I never get any sleep. 

KS: If you could just give me a few comments I’d appreciate it. Now, about your name…

C: You should know the answer to that; you were here when I came in. I was found in Core Sound (Core) in a pound net (net) and I’m a loggerhead (Caretta caretta) (ta). Corenetta – get it?

 
KS: And what were you doing in the pound net?

C: Just trying to grab a bite to eat. But when the nice people tending the net took one look at my rear end they knew better than to turn me loose. They said I reminded them of that old AMC car – I think it was called a “Gremlin” – I was missing my back end!

 
KS: Why?

C: I’ve been here since October of 2004, so I’ve had some time to reconstruct the entire event in my mind. I was merrily cruising along when I felt a bump. I thought it was just some debris or maybe a big wave. But a second later I was stopped dead in my tracks, almost literally. A big old shark had snuck up behind me and grabbed hold of my tail end. Now I’m still a teenager but I’m not a tiny turtle, so I’m thinking, this shark must have something to prove. Maybe it was some kind of gang thing – like the “Sharks” and the “Jets.”

 
KS: How scary was that?

C: Very, because sharks are serious predators for us turtles. I knew he was out for the kill, but I was determined not to become the “Tuesday Special” on his menu. He shook me, I shook him and than headed into shallower water. After a real battle I got away with my life and he got away with the back end of my shell. I hope he choked on it!

   
KS: (Laughing.) So now you’re “nekkid?”

C: Yeah - I’m mooning other sea creatures and I’m very vulnerable. The broken shell and bone is bright white, so I’m basically swimming around with a big old target on my butt. I’m really lucky that I made it here to the hospital where I’m safe.

 
KS: We’re glad you made it, too. What’s it like here? <>C: At first I was in this really small tank because you had a full house and it was the only thing available. I pretty much spun in circles for a few months, but hey, nobody was chasing me so I coped. Then poor “Dare” died. I was moved to her tank, a great big tank right under the window with lots of sunlight. I swear I can hear her spirit telling me to “never give up.” The medical care has been excellent, and the food is scrumptious, even better than the pickings in the pound net! And you’re such an attractive group of volunteers – I love seeing your smiling faces – especially when you’re carrying a bowl of squid and fish. 

KS: And we love your face, it’s very sweet. Any word about when you get to show off your new body?

C: I’m thinking June. Ms. Jean says I’ve done a really good job covering that wound with scar tissue and scutes, so if my blood work checks out I check out. I love y’all but I really want to go home. 

KS: Then we’ve done our job. For a turtle that didn’t want to talk you did OK for yourself. Thanks, Corenetta.

<>C: I guess I deserve my 15 minutes of fame, too

   
 
MAY 06
Corenetta tries to scoot away from Mike as he tries to weigh her.  She's out of water, so Mike eventually won and now we all know she weighs 67.5 kg.  That's quite a weight gain, just what she needs to go home.

Released June 7, 2006