Apollo

Species: Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)

Arrival Date: November 21, 2018
Stranding Location: Cape Cod, MA

Initial Weight: 3.12 lbs.
Current Weight: 4.27 lbs.

Issue: Cold stunned
Current Condition: Released

Apollo is a juvenile Kemp\'s ridley sea turtle that arrived cold-stunned from the Cape Cod area, along with 19 others. Sea turtles are cold-blooded and rely on the environment to control their body temperatures. The cold waters in Cape Cod Bay disturb the metabolism of the turtles, causing them to be cold-stunned and have trouble moving. These turtles are often found floating on the water\'s surface, leaving them exposed and vulnerable. This patient was flown down to LMC from the New England Aquarium for long-term treatment with the support of Turtles Fly Too. We are also grateful for Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, NOAA Fisheries Service, and FWC for their parts in helping these cold-stunned sea turtles. The turtles are receiving antibiotics and fluids.

Apollo is named after the Greek God of the sun and named in honor of Loggerhead Marinelife Center's multi-decade partnership with Florida Power and Light (FPL). FPL is one of the world's largest clean energy producers. In 2018 FPL opened a clean energy solar center in Florida and named it "Loggerhead" in honor of the significant annual loggerhead sea turtle nesting which occurs annually in the State of Florida.

PROGRESS KEY:

This turtle is progressing well and responding to therapy as desired.

There is a minor issue that we are working to resolve.

More details to follow.

PROGRESS NOTES:

04/18/2019 -Apollo was released 4/18 from Canaveral National Seashore.

04/11/2019 -Apollo was taken off all medication and may be ready for release

04/04/2019 - Apollo may be taken off medication if blood tests are normal this week.

03/27/2019 - Apollo has been taken off nebulization.

03/20/2019 - Apollo is nearing the end of the nebulization treatments.

03/13/2019 - White cell count is slight up.

03/06/2019 - Radiographs revealed that Apollo's pneumonia is almost gone. We will continue nebulizing about 3 more weeks.

02/27/2019 - Antibiotics have been reduced.

02/20/2019 - White cell count remains normal.

02/13/2019 - White cell count remains normal.

02/06/2019 - White cell count is down to normal

02/04/2019 - White cell count has gone up, so new antibiotic has been added.

01/25/2019 - Apollo was taken for a CT scan and still has some residual pneumonia. Treatment will continue. Partners-In-Progress! Apollo was taken to Jupiter Medical Center for the CT Scan! The high-resolution CT Scan showed a small spot of pneumonia remaining in the right lung of Apollo. We thank our partners at Jupiter Medical Center for these exceptional images which are helping us to optimize our treatment plan so we can save and release these beautiful sea turtles back into their ocean home.

01/17/2019 - White blood cell count continues to be normal.

01/10/2019 - White blood cell count is normal for the first time.

01/03/2018 - White blood cell count is improving.

12/26/2018 - Apollo's white cell count is decreasing.

12/19/2018 - Apollo's white blood cell count is now going back down.

12/12/2018 -

12/05/2018 - Apollo is being treated for pneumonia. Because the white blood cell count is rising, antibiotics have been changed.

11/21/2018 - Arrived - Radiographs revealed that Apollo was developing pneumonia so the turtle is receiving antibiotics via nebulization every day.