360 Virtual Tours
(All photos were taken prior to the Coronavirus Pandemic and before social distances guidelines were put in place)
Sea Turtle Release
Once our sea turtle patients are healthy and healed from their illnesses and/or injuries, they are cleared for release by our Veterinarian. With the help of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), we find a safe place on our coast to cheer them on as they return to their ocean home. Here, you can see a trained LMC staff member carrying a smaller green sea turtle former patient to the water for a gentle release. To find out more about our upcoming sea turtle release schedule, follow us on Facebook for the latest updates from the Sea Turtle Hospital at LMC!
Daily Patient Treatments in the Sea Turtle Hospital at LMC
Did you know? The Sea Turtle Hospital at Loggerhead Marinelife Center treats an average of 40 - 60 sick or injured juvenile to adult sea turtles each year (not including the hundreds of disoriented or injured hatchlings)! Our state-of-the-art sea turtle hospital operates 7-days a week and our rehabilitation staff is on call 24 hours each day. Here, you can see what an average day at the Sea Turtle Hospital at LMC looks like as patients are receiving their scheduled treatments. A juvenile green sea turtle is receiving fluids on our examination table to help build strength and energy; two sea turtle patients receive wound care and topical treatments on their shell and neck as they are secured on our transport gurney.
Outdoor Sea Turtle Hospital
When sick and/or injured sea turtles "check-in" to the Sea Turtle Hospital at Loggerhead Marinelife Center, the majority of their stay is spent in the Outdoor Sea Turtle Hospital, shown here. While each tank is generally used to safely accommodate one sea turtle, our outdoor hospital as accommodated as many as 28 sea turtle patients. While the capacity in the hospital is dependent on the size and rehabilitation needs of our patients, this outdoor area is a critical part of our Center, enabling us to keep sea turtle patients protected during their short-term rehabilitation. Planning an in-person visit to Loggerhead Marinelife Center? The Outdoor Sea Turtle hospital is open to the public and one of the most popular areas of our campus. For a more in-depth and intimate experience with our patients, you can book a public or private Guided Tour here.
High-definition Digital X-Ray Room
A critical part of a sea turtle's journey through rehabilitation is our rehabilitation team's ability to capture an x-ray, or radiograph, of the inside of their bodies. A radiograph shows the internal bone structure of a subject and can also indicate abnormalities in organs and soft tissues with shadow-like imaging, allowing for the opportunity for our Veterinarian to issue a more accurate diagnosis for each of our patients. In this room, you can see our high-definition digital x-ray machine, including the large, flat surface where we place our patients for imaging. Two comparative images are pictured on the door demonstrating the difference between a traditional x-ray image versus our high-definition digital images. Can you spot the difference in clarity? Did you know you can symbolically adopt one of our sea turtle patients to assist us with its continued care? Check out our adoptable sea turtle patients here.
Sea Turtle Patient Treatment: Nebulization
Annie Beau, the sea turtle patient shown here, is receiving a treatment for pneumonia in the form of nebulization. Nebulization is a technique used to administer medicine by turning it into a gas, so that the patient can breathe in the medicine needed to treat the lungs. A tube is delivering the airborne medication into the sea turtle's breathing passage under the pink towel. The towel is laid over the eyes and face of the patient to minimize stress and to ensure the medicine is delivered properly. This treatment is taking place in our Surgical Suite, as you might tell from the surgery table next to Annie Beau. This specialized table gives our rehabilitation team the ability to control the temperature of its surface because sea turtles are ectothermic and particularly sensitive to external temperatures. Read more about our sea turtle treatment methods by browsing our Sea Turtle Patients page here.
Marine Debris Removal at the Juno Beach Pier
Rotate this image until you find the large case of trash in our Exhibit Hall. Do you recognize any of the items in this case? The contents of this case are pieces of trash items that were recovered from underwater, underneath the Juno Beach Pier by our conservation team members. Trash that is intentionally or unintentionally discarded on land often ends up in a waterway that leads directly to the ocean or ends up in the ocean itself. Marine life can mistake trash items for food or become entangled in items like netting, fishing line or beverage packaging and we see the results of those harmful interactions often in the Sea Turtle Hospital at LMC. You can help minimize the impacts of pollution on sea turtles and other wildlife by monitoring your own use of disposable, single-use products and how you dispose of them. Remember: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! Check with your local waste management to better understand the recycling capabilities of their facilities so you can ensure what you do have to recycle is accepted and recycled properly. Read about LMC's conservation initiatives on campus and in the community here.
Sea Turtle Species of Florida
Rotate this image until you can see the sea turtle replicas on our Exhibit Hall wall at Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Do any of them look familiar? You may recognize some of these species in some of the images above, or if you have ever seen a sea turtle in the wild or here at LMC. Sea turtles are turtles that live in saltwater, unlike some of the turtles you may have seen in a river, pond, in a pet store or on land. Every species of sea turtle is globally or regionally threatened or endangered and protected from intentional human harm. Did you know? Three of these sea turtle species found in Florida waters nest on our beaches. Read more about Florida's Sea Turtles here.
Nearshore Habitat Video
Nearshore habitats are some of the most colorful and diverse marine habitats on earth. From shallow coral reefs to seagrass beds, there are plenty of options for a variety of fish, invertebrates and even seahorses in these shallow, underwater environments. Rotate the video until you can see the Nearshore aquarium in our Exhibit Hall here at Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Shown here is a blue-striped grunt, pinfish and a blue-headed wrasse. Can you spot the long-spined sea urchin (Diadema antillarum)? You can learn more about our local marine life, including sea turtles, by following Loggerhead Marinelife Center on Facebook and Instagram.