Friday, November 14, 2008
Turtle has flipper amputated at Keys facility
MARATHON, Fla. (AP) -- A veterinarian at the Florida Keys Turtle Hospital has successfully amputated the right-front flipper of an endangered hawksbill sea turtle that had been attacked by wild dogs in the Virgin Islands.
The hospital's staff veterinarian Douglas Mader said the turtle, named Sandy, handled the Thursday surgery well and added the turtle should be able to survive in the wild without the flipper.
Mader's biggest concern was injuries to Sandy's other flippers.
The 170-pound turtle was attacked last month in St. Croix as she was nesting. Veterinarians there sent it to the Keys for further treatment.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
