‘Columbus’ The Loggerhead Sea Turtle

RESCUE STORY Part 1 – Columbus is Discovered.

Galway Atlantaquaria and the Padden Family would like to officially announce the rescue of ‘Columbus’ the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Caretta caretta. We are in the process of rehabilitating Columbus with the intention of returning it to warm waters.

Jonathan Padden was walking along Faulmore Beach in County Mayo with his family on Friday, 28th February, when he came across a strange-looking rock. This rock turned out to be a small Loggerhead Turtle. 

A quick search on the internet told them that turtles can go into a cold shock and that even though they appear to be dead, quick actions can save them. They contacted Gemma O’ Connor from the Irish Whale and Dolphin Groups live stranding hotline who contacted staff at the aquarium. Matt and Megan from the aquarium then arranged to meet Jonathan and his family in Castlebar.

Jonathan did an excellent job taking care of the turtle during those first crucial hours, keeping the turtle, which he named Columbus, in a box with a soft towel and driving to Castlebar with the car heating off to make sure the turtle didn’t warm up too quickly. Due to Jonathan’s swift actions, Columbus is now doing well under the constant supervision of the aquarium staff and a team of vets. 

A big thank you to Gemma and the rest of the team at the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group and our local vets, Rita Gately & Lindsey Cox, for all their support. 

#SeaTurtleRescue #ColumbusTheTurtle #LoggerheadRescue

Rescue Story Part 2: Colombus goes from strength to strength

To prepare for Columbus’s arrival Ian O’Grady (the aquariums Plant and Animal Manager) prepared a specialised quarantine area designed to provide critical care for treating cold-stunned turtles.

The first few hours of treatment are critical for saving the turtle’s life. The team at the aquarium knew the risks including the low temperature, injuries, and potential infections. The process of restoring Columbus’s health would be slow and methodical and require precise care. Rehabilitating a turtle involves a series of health checks and treatments, including:

• 1. Initial Assessment and Quarantine

Columbus was initially kept out of water, under a heat lamp to slowly increase its temperature. The process of increasing the turtles temperature must occur slowly over a few days. This is to ensure the turtle isnt shocked by a sudden temperature change.

• 2. Hydration and Nutrition

When the temperature had been increased, Columbus started to show more signs of life and rehydration could now begin. This involved Columbus being kept in shallow warm water and also receiving fluid injections from our veterinary team. As Columbus began to gain more strength the depth of the water in its tank was increased and food was introduced to its diet, including a mixture of sprat, prawn, crab and squid.

• 3. Injury and Illness Treatment

The veterinary and aquarist team continued to assess the condition of Columbus including blood tests, daily weight, food consumption, vitamins and antibiotics. All this data was recorded for future reference.

• 4. Environmental Enrichment

With Columbus recovered and out of danger, we could move to the final part of rehabilitation which involves muscle strengthening and conditioning. Columbus was moved to a large quarantine area that allowed for swimming and hunting in a more natural environment.

Each of these steps is intricate and requires patience and constant vigilance. The work is slow and carries risks, but the dedication shown by our veterinary team of Rita Gately and Lindsey Cox along with our aquarists Holly Breen, Petra Kerkhove and Megan Hawkins, led by Ian has been outstanding.

A huge debt of gratitude is owed to them for their unwavering care and commitment to Columbus’s recovery. Their hard work and expertise have been integral to this turtle’s journey back to health, as it prepares it head back to the wild.

Columbus has been slowly gaining strength, with the support of our veterinary team of Rita Gately and Lindsey Cox along with our aquarists Holly Breen, Petra Kerkhove and Megan Hawkins, led by Ian O Grady, the Aquarium Plant and Animal Manager. To read all about Columbus’s rehabilitation and enrichment programme see https://nationalaquarium.ie/columbustheturtle/

Please note Columbus is not on public display and cannot be viewed during a visit to the aquarium, however your visit helps support the conservation work we do at the aquariumm, and for this we Thank You.

About Galway Atlantaquaria,

Galway Atlantaquaria, is Ireland’s largest native species Aquarium in the heart of Sathill, Galway City. Our goal is to engage, educate, and inspire people to protect our most vulnerable biodiversity and ecosystems.