Treating patients @Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital

Lucy the green sea turtle was found in poor condition after she became beached on Fraser Island, Queensland. Weighing nearly 15 kilograms, a team from Queensland Park and Wildlife Service rescued poor Lucy and transported her to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital.

When Lucy arrived at the Wildlife Hospital she was pale, thin and had no appetite. After being stranded on the beach for a number of hours she was very dehydrated and her eyes were sunken. A thorough examination by Dr Ester confirmed that Lucy was suffering from fibropapillomatosis, a common condition for turtles in the wild where benign tumours triggered by a viral infection grow on the turtle’s soft tissue. Sadly, Lucy was also suffering from ‘floating syndrome,’ a condition where sea turtles can’t control their buoyancy; bloating in their cavity prevents them from diving and forces them to float on the surface. The bloating can be caused by a parasite infection in their gut, an intestinal blockage as a result of ingesting plastic or from air escaping a torn lung after a boat strike. When a turtle can't dive, it can't feed, navigate ocean currents and waves or avoid predators – this can be life-threatening.

Dr Ester administered anti-inflammatory pain relief and antibiotics before transferring Lucy to the shallow turtle enclosure to be monitored. After a week at the Wildlife Hospital, Lucy was moved to the turtle pool to slowly begin diving again. After a month of rehabilitation and rebuilding her strength, Lucy was given the all clear to return home and was released back into the ocean.