Turtle treated at Key West hospital returning home

Oct 26, 2009 1 min read

MARATHON, Fla. (AP) – A hawksbill sea turtle treated in the Florida Keys after a wild dog attack in the Virgin Islands is ready to return home.

Sandy, a mature nesting female, had surgery on both front flippers at The Turtle Hospital. A veterinarian removed the entire right flipper and took out a small section of the left.

Staff members cared for the animal until it could enter a physical therapy program to relearn how to swim and catch food.

Hospital officials are confident the turtle can thrive after it returns to St. Croix on Tuesday, even without a flipper. They also believe it can nest – a critical aspect of survival for Sandy’s endangered species.

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On the Net: The Turtle Hospital www.turtlehospital.org