- December 26, 2024
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The Sea Turtle Hospital at Whitney Laboratory. Courtesy photo
The Sea Turtle Hospital at Whitney Laboratory. Courtesy photo
by: Heather Krumholtz
Communications Coordinator, Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience
Join the Sea Turtle Hospital at University of Florida's Whitney Laboratory to help support hundreds of washback turtles cared for by hospital staff each season by symbolically adopting a washback this October, named by you! When a gift is made in any amount to support the Sea Turtle Hospital, you will receive an email with your personalized washback adoption certificate.
(The washback turtle naming is symbolic, but the certificate is real. For questions, please contact Jessica Long at [email protected].)
Last year over 150 washback turtles were symbolically named. To adopt a washback turtle, visit https://www.whitney.ufl.edu/ beginning Oct. 21 through Oct. 31.
Washbacks are sea turtle hatchlings that have made it to the open ocean, began eating, and are on their way to the line of Sargassum seaweed, over 50-100 miles in the ocean. With fall storms, strong ocean currents and winds, sea turtle hatchlings that make it to the seaweed can be pushed back onto the beach even months later — and become a washback. Washback turtles cannot get back to their Sargassum habitat by themselves. They used all their egg nutrition to swim out that far, and now can’t make the swim back out to thrive.
“We received our first post-hatchling or washback of the season in September. Typically, we see these post-hatchlings/washbacks anywhere from Aug. 1 to Dec. 31 and we could see anywhere from 20 to 400 babies,” said Catherine Eastman, Sea Turtle Hospital program manager. “Who doesn’t love lots of tiny turtle mouths to feed?”
When they are brought to the Sea Turtle Hospital, staff watch over and care for them. They make sure they get their energy back for a boat ride home to continue on with their incredible turtle journey. Each washback is treated just like a patient in the hospital.
When they arrive they receive a full exam, fluids if dehydrated, a patient number, and a swim test. If any of the washbacks have injuries, they are treated by our veterinary care team. Each washback receives a two character ID which is written on their carapace with marker (don’t worry it is removed before they are released). This ID helps track who is eating and improving or who needs extra attention.
Washbacks get fed 3-5 times a day and the animal care team monitors their overall body condition and health. Once cleared for release, staff work with MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife and neighboring facilities to organize an offshore boat trip to release the washbacks in their Sargassum seaweed habitat.
If you encounter a washback sea turtle (small hatchling size), call MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife 1-888-404-3922 and if directed, deliver to our drop-off location in front of the Whitney Laboratory Administration Building where our essential staff check throughout the day.
About Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience
Whitney Laboratory is a biomedical marine research institute of the University of Florida. It is composed of 10 faculty-led laboratories that use marine organisms for basic biological research that can be applied to human health, understanding of local natural resources, and insight into our dynamic local environment. Whitney Laboratory provides training for future experimental biologists, education programs for kindergarten through university-level students and monthly lectures for the general public to bring lifelong learning to the community. Whitney Laboratory also features a Sea Turtle Hospital, which promotes ocean awareness and conservation through sea turtle rehabilitation, research and education. Whitney Laboratory is located at 9505 Ocean Shore Blvd., St. Augustine, on the border of Flagler and St. Johns counties. For more information, visit www.whitney.ufl.edu or call 904-461-4000.
About washbacks - https://www.whitney.ufl.edu/conservation--sea-turtle-hospital/washbacks/
