Category: Wildlife Conservation

Tags: kemps, ridley, sea, turtle, endangered, species, NC, State, veterinary, medicine, turtle, rescue, sea, turtle, jean, beasley, greg, lewbart

A surf fisherman casting in Kure Beach, NC caught a juvenile Kemp's ridley sea turtle — the world's most endangered sea turtle -- and contacted the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center on Topsail Island, NC. Jean Beasley noticed the hook embedded deeply in the turtle's throat, and called Dr. Greg Lewbart, professor of aquatic animal medicine at NC State's College of Veterinary Medicine, and made arrangements to bring Seymour (named for the location of his capture) to the College's turtle clinic on Friday, July 9. Lewbart, who had just returned from the Gulf Coast where he was rescuing Kemp's ridley sea turtles from the BP oil spill, alerted volunteer DVM students who staff the College's turtle clinic to prepare for the patient. Seymour's arrival provided a teaching moment as Lewbart led the students through a health check on the sea turtle, discussed aspects of Kemp's ridley anatomy, showed them how to draw blood for testing, and how to administer the anesthesia. Once Seymour was sufficiently sedated, Lewbart began the delicate procedure to remove the hook. Four minutes later the hook was removed and within 15 minutes Seymour began to stir. A day of rest and Seymour was ready resume his exploration of North Carolina's coastline and, it is hoped, create more Kemp's ridley sea turtles. For more information, visit: • The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center - http://www.seaturtlehospital.org/ • NC State College of Veterinary Medicine - http://cvm.ncsu.edu/ Video/Text by Dave Green, CVM. Edited by Dave Pond, NC State University Communications.

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