Injured Sea Turtle Continuing Rehab At Pittsburgh Zoo
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A sea turtle, which was hurt and left for dead in the ocean, now has a new home here in Pittsburgh.
It has not been an easy journey for Sunburst the green sea turtle.
Two years ago, she was struck by a boat propeller off the coast of Florida. The propeller actually cut right through her top shell and the scar is still visible.
"In essence, the propeller cut through the bones in her back, disabling her and also causing a pretty severe infection in her right front flipper," Dr. Ginger Takle at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium said.
A boat crew discovered and rescued the turtle from the ocean. She was rushed to a sea turtle center in Georgia, but was in pretty bad shape.
After a lot of treatment, she was transferred here because of the Pittsburgh Zoo's partnership with the Sea Turtle Second Chance Program.
The zoo will provide long-term care. It will likely be really long-term because these animals typically live for about 70 years.
The Zoo's staff has been working with her non-stop to monitor her health and her heartbeat
Sunburst will continue to go through physical therapy to hopefully regain use of her right flipper.
Although she has a long way to go, she has made a ton of progress.
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