LMC staff present research, conservation projects at annual Sea Turtle Workshop

Staff members of LMC’s rehabilitation and conservation teams recently presented at the 2016 Florida Keys Sea Turtle Workshop at the Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida.

Veterinary Technician Samantha Clark presented “Plastic Packed Post-Hatchlings and our Treatment Protocol.” The study detailed marine debris in post-hatchlings and treatment methods at LMC. According to Clark, the presentation was well-received, encouraging follow-up questions from other organizations. She also attended a wet lab on therapeutic and carbon dioxide cutting lasers.

Hospital Coordinator Nicole Montgomery discussed LMC’s new custom-built electronic medical record system, which the team will use early next year.

“Sharing information about fascinating cases and innovative procedures between sea turtle rehabilitation organizations around the world can help facilities learn how to better care for their sea turtle patients,” said Montgomery. “We’re excited to build partnerships with others who work to protect sea turtles.”

Chief Conservation Officer Tommy Cutt and Outreach Coordinator Demi Fox presented “Project SHIELD: Conservation Solutions for Reducing Anthropogenic Interactions.” The presentation explained the multi-faceted program, which provides various user groups with practical solutions.

“Our hope is to share LMC’s global conservation work with others in the field,” said Cutt. “We constantly work to provide viable solutions that reduce human-caused injuries often treated in our hospital. It’s imperative that organizations share their findings with others so we can learn how to better expand global conservation efforts.”

The Sea Turtle Workshop is an annual conference for sea turtle rehabilitation organizations, research institutes, universities and conservationists. For more information, visit www.turtlehospital.org.