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MARKER
 Caretta caretta

Loggerhead

Adult Male
Admitted May 17, 2002
Released Sept. 18, 2002
  Admit  Release
Weight Est 140 kg  160 kg
SCL: 96.1 cm  96.7 cm
SCW:  68.5 cm  69.6 cm
THE 
STRANDING
This adult loggerhead was observed in distress, floating,  by intracoastal waterway residents near Oak Island, NC and by boaters in the area.
The call was handled by Parks & Rec director Tina Pritchard.
A boat was dispatched to retrieve the sea turtle from the intracoastal waterway, and several boats in the waterway at the time formed a protective ring so that the turtle would not be injured.
He fought the rescue all the way, and was unceremoniously and very carefully, towed into shore.

Jan Reichenbach of Oak Island prepares to unload Marker
Volunteers gather for the plan
A large tarp is slipped under the kiddie pool, to lift and carry to the outside tank.
(pool could not be saved)

1...
2...
Tina Pritchard and Director Jean Beasley assess the situation

3...Safe
THE TREATMENT The Oak Island rescuers delivered this large sea turtle to the KBSTRRC early Friday evening, May 17th.  He was apparently tuckered out from the rescue and remained quiet  while carried to and deposited into his tank.
Warm sea water soon covered our new resident and food was offered.
He snubbed the fish but loved the giant squid and readily consumed about 10 squid.
He is unable to submerge and underweight.  Turtles that can't dive are unable to feed themselves.
UPDATE 5/18/02 On Saturday Marker received the typical "once over".  2-3 pounds of barnacles were removed from the carapace.  His first injection of antibiotic was received without a flinch, and blood was drawn seemingly without notice, in part because our resident vampire is so good at drawing blood with the first stick of the needle.
As many who have tried this will attest, it's a true skill.  PCV 18%, not bad.
Marker relaxes while volunteers give him a shower of fresh water to discourage the hundreds of tiny barnacles covering all soft tissue, including his soft little nose.
We know he is a male sea turtle by that nice big tail he's sporting.  The pigment has been lost, possible due to sunburn from floating on the surface.
June 20 Sits on the bottom for the first time.
 Marker swims into view.   (Short Clip, long download, save it for faster viewing later.)

Released 9/14/02

Senator Patrick Ballantine was on hand to help lift Marker to the beach.
The senator served as Grand Marshall for the release.  The senator is credited for the North Carolina "save the sea turtle" license plate.