Today we received the first turtle of the year from the Humane Society. As you can see in the photo, he has a pretty significant injury to his shell. There is also an injury on his left side. These guys are amazingly resilient and though it will probably take several months, we expect a full recovery.
Each year we receive a number of injured turtles. Many times the injuries are so severe that they do not recover. Turtles are frequently run over by automobiles as they are crossing the road. They are also often mauled by dogs who view them as play objects. And still others are injured by other predators.
This guy is one of the lucky ones. But he is not out of the woods. Even though he is very active and energetic, we need to prevent infection and continue daily care of the wounds. He also must eat, something that wild creatures are often hesitant to do in captivity. But we are hopeful and will continue to do what we can for him. Check back for updates on his progress.
