BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Bugs, a juvenile green sea turtle, will be released back into the ocean on Oct. 1 after a five-month rehabilitation at the Sea Turtle Healing Center at Brevard Zoo.
The release will take place at 10 a.m. from Pelican Beach Park. Bugs was found emaciated and covered in barnacles in April, leading to an intensive rehabilitation process.
“The tiny turtle’s body was laden with barnacles, with some burrowing so deep into their carapace that multiple fractures were created all along their shell,” said Jess Patterson, Sea Turtle Healing Center coordinator.
Bugs was brought to the Sea Turtle Healing Center by the Sea Turtle Preservation Society after being found washed ashore.
The turtle’s injuries were severe, with fractures exposing the scapula and causing tissue damage.
The rehabilitation process included placing Bugs in a custom-made shallow pool to alleviate stress on its body and providing negative-pressure wound therapy to promote healing.
This innovative treatment helped reduce swelling and encouraged new skin cell growth.
Veterinary staff at the Zoo regularly cleaned and examined Bugs’ wounds, ensuring they remained free of infection.
The turtle was also given antibiotics and underwent CT scans and radiographs to monitor healing.
To further aid recovery, raw, unfiltered honey was used on some of the wounds to promote healing and prevent infection.
After five months of care, Bugs is now ready to return to the ocean.
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