Andre the Sea Turtle Is Dead
Posted: Friday, August 26, 2011
by Jack H. Schick
Andre the green sea turtle is dead. They found his body on Hutchinson Island, a barrier beach off Fort Pierce, Florida. He was in such bad condition that it was impossible to say what killed him. Andre had spent over a year recovering from injuries at the Loggerhead Marine Center in West Palm Beach. Center president David McClymont said Andre was identified by a tag he was wearing when he was released back into the wild only three weeks ago. There is no doubt it is actually him.
Andre was surprisingly tough, though. Beachgoers brought him to shore on a boogie board and turned him over to veterinarians who spent the next year in efforts to save him. Any one of the injuries could have been fatal and the prognosis was poor. Several of the procedures they tried were used on an animal for the first time. A Marine Center statement proudly said, “The scientific advancements we made while rehabilitating Andre are already being applied in the treatment of other threatened and endangered sea turtles.”
To remove fluids, sand and other materials from his wounds and to get them to close, doctors used a vacuum therapy system on Andre. To help close the gaps in his shell an orthodontist used braces similar to those used on humans. To fill in gaping holes in his tissue, doctors used a procedure that is usually used to help re-grow breast tissue in mastectomy patients or abdominal tissue in hernia patients.
Andre’s recovery was followed by many of the Loggerhead Center’s 225,000 annual visitors. The turtle could be watched on a round-the-clock webcam. Children flooded the center with get well cards. Many donation checks were sent from around the world to support Andre’s medical care. His recovery was miraculous.
Green sea turtles have been around for millions of years. Today, they are an endangered species. Emerging from egg caches buried on only select beaches that are no longer so isolated or remote, only a small fraction of hatchlings survive. Only a small fraction of those reach adulthood and reproduce. Andre is estimated to have been about 25 years old. He weighed 177 pounds when he was released.
McClymount said, “The staff and the entire volunteer base are deeply saddened.” Just three weeks ago a large, loud crowd of hundreds of well wishers gathered on a Florida east coast beach to watch Andre crawl off into the sea and swim away. They hugged and wiped tears away. Many talked of the inspiration the reptile gave them; but, “the best laid schemes of mice and men often go astray.” He lived an extra year, but now, Andre the green sea turtle is dead.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Its sad to hear Andre died, but the support he received proves we can do something about these types of tragedies, if we pull together and work to create awareness and change. Also with what the vets learned from healing him perhaps the next time they rescue a sea turtle as bad off as Andre it will live even longer. Right now I think the biggest problem with sea turtles is creating international awareness of these magnificent creatures. A couple of groups that work towards this are the Defenders of Wild Life, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); National Marine and Fisheries Service.thanks for reading and commenting
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