SeaWorld Cares

Sea turtles returned to the wild today in Florida.

laurenskowyra — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:02:58 +0000

On Tuesday, SeaWorld Orlando's animal rescue team returned 15 endangered Kemp's Ridley sea turtles to the waters off Marco Island, FL.

The turtles were rescued from the gulf oil spill and were receiving care at the Orlando park.

Since late June, 77 sea turtles affected by the oil spill have come to SeaWorld for intensive and hands-on care. The park's sea turtle experts have returned 36 of the turtles to the wild.

SeaWorld's rescue teams -- global leaders in animal rescue, rehabilitation and release -- are on call 24/7 to care for injured, ill or orphaned animals.

The parks have rescued over 18,000 animals since the care programs began. There are rescue programs at each SeaWorld park -- in San Diego, San Antonio and Orlando.

Want to learn more about the parks' rescue and conservation efforts? When visiting SeaWorld Orlando, check out the behind-the-scenes tours. Go here for more information and to book your tour.

SeaWorld San Antonio Rescues Baby Bottlenose Dolphin

Greg Smith — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:39:27 +0000

On Sept. 2 SeaWorld San Antonio’s Animal Rescue Team rescued a baby Atlantic bottlenose dolphin calf outside of Rockport, Texas. The 4-to-6-month-old female calf, which had sustained wounds to its tail fluke and dorsal fin and was entangled in loose fishing line, was treated locally by SeaWorld veterinarians and immediately released to rejoin its nearby mother.

The successful rescue and release operation was a collaborative effort between SeaWorld San Antonio, Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network and its volunteers, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.

SeaWorld San Antonio has a long-standing partnership with the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Last year, the park received Donley, a male Atlantic bottlenose dolphin stranded on Mustang Island in Port Aransas, Texas and in 1996, received Mattie, an orphaned Atlantic bottlenose dolphin from Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network in Galveston.

To date, SeaWorld has rescued more than 18,000 sick, injured or orphaned animals.

SEAWORLD RELEASES SECOND REHABILITATED MANATEE THIS WEEK

Greg Smith — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:25:19 +0000

On Thursday, August 26, SeaWorld Orlando Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation Team released a second manatee to the waters of KARS Park near the Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Fla.

The 8½-foot-long, 680-pound female sea cow was rescued on May 17, 2010 from a canal in Satellite Beach, Fla. after wildlife officials observed her floating high in the water -- usually an indication of a collision with a boat.

On Tuesday, August 24, the team also released an 8-foot-long, 630-pound female that was rescued June 23, 2010 along the National Canaveral Seashore near New Smyrna Beach, Fla. This sea cow also was rescued because of a possible watercraft injury.

When an animal has difficulty submerging underwater, like these two animals, it is very likely they have sustained internal damage to the chest or a punctured lung from a boat strike.

At SeaWorld Orlando, both animals received antibiotics, fluids and round-the-clock care. Their recovery was quick, making their stay at the park short and their return to their natural habitat speedy.

Boat strikes are one of the most common manatee injuries. You can help these gentle creatures by following boating regulations in waterways where manatees are found. Observe “no wake zones” and be manatee-friendly!

2010 Manatee Rescues and Releases

Rescues:24

Releases:13

SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund Help Illuminate Sea Turtle Nesting Issue

Greg Smith — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:45:03 +0000

The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund is supporting an effort to illuminate the negative impact of lighted beaches on sea turtle nests.

Sea turtles hatch from their beach nests at night and depend on the glow from the horizon to guide them to the ocean. Lights on nesting beaches can disorient baby turtles and lead them away from the ocean where they fall victim to predators, vehicles or exhaustion.

With support from the Fund, Sea to Shore Alliance’s sea turtle lighting survey looks at things from the animals’ point of view to gather new information. The project is providing Florida’s first statewide assessment of beach illumination from the sea turtles’ perspective. Biologists fly aerial surveys at night to collect video images and record beach lighting levels using special light measuring equipment. The data is linked to GPS information allowing wildlife managers to quickly and easily compare, observe and locate areas with excessive beach lighting.

Follow Oil-Impacted Turtle Release Tomorrow On Twitter @seaworld

Greg Smith — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:49:05 +0000

On Wednesday, August 18, SeaWorld is releasing 12 oil-impacted, endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles back into waters near Cedar Key, Fla. Follow the release tomorrow on Twitter @seaworld for up-to-the-minute updates.

The animals came from a marine facility in Panama City Beach, Fla. where they were cleaned and de-oiled. For more than two months, park veterinarians and aquarists have provided extensive treatment for more than 60 endangered sea turtles impacted by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. SeaWorld is one of the few organizations with the expertise to tend to the special needs of multiple sea turtle species.

SeaWorld aquarist Kate Grimaldi applies an ID tag to a Kemp's Ridley sea turtle that is being prepared for release.

The release area was chosen because it is an important foraging area for the species, the water was never oiled, and the habitat has all elements necessary for their survival. The animals were given identification tags so that their progress can be monitored.

SeaWorld is a global leader in the rescue and rehabilitation of sea turtles. The park’s Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation Team is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

NEWEST ARRIVALS TOTAL 60 OIL-IMPACTED TURTLES BEING CARED FOR BY SEAWORLD

Greg Smith — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:31:31 +0000

More than 60 endangered sea turtles impacted by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico have now come through SeaWorld’s Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation Center.

SeaWorld veterinarian Dr. Scott Gearhart exams an oil-impacted loggerhead sea turtle.

On Sunday, August 1, SeaWorld aquarists transported 30 green, loggerhead and Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles from a marine facility in Panama City Beach, Fla. where they were cleaned and de-oiled.

They are in stable condition but require extensive treatment for health issues directly related to oil before their eventual return to the wild. SeaWorld is one of the few organizations with the expertise to tend to the special needs of multiple sea turtle species.

This is the fourth wave of oil-impacted turtles SeaWorld has received since June 25. SeaWorld aquarists already have released nine of these animals in waters off Southwest Florida.

SeaWorld San Diego Vets Team Up With Human Doctors To Save Dolphin’s Life

johnwalker — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:36:27 +0000

SeaWorld San Diego veterinarians went to extraordinary lengths to save the life of one of the park’s dolphins. Dottie, a 23-year-old Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, went into kidney failure due complications from kidney stones, but thanks to a team of highly-skilled “human” doctors from the University of California at San Diego Medical Center, her life was saved through medical procedures never before performed on a dolphin.

In late January, SeaWorld trainers observed that Dottie had stopped eating. Analysis of a blood sample from Dottie showed that she was in acute renal (kidney) failure. An ultrasound determined that kidney stones were obstructing Dottie’s ureters, the narrow duct that conveys urine from the kidneys to the bladder. Dr. Todd Schmitt, SeaWorld’s senior veterinarian, knew that aggressive treatment would be needed if Dottie’s life was to be saved. He contacted UC San Diego Medical Center seeking assistance from its nephrology and urology staff. Dr. David Ward, UCSD chief of nephrology, aided the park’s vets in performing the first successful dialysis on a dolphin to stabilize Dottie’s clinical condition and later, Dr. Roger Sur, director of the UCSD Comprehensive Kidney Stone Center, performed the first ever endoscopic laser lithotripsy procedure on a dolphin to break up Dottie’s kidney stones.

Dottie’s recovery took several months, during which time she was on a regiment of anti-bacterial and anti-fungal medication. She has also regained the nearly 40 pounds that she lost during her illness. Dottie continues to be monitored through ultrasound, urinalysis and blood samples. Follow-up exams have determined that Dottie has additional kidney stones. She continues to undergo alkalnization therapy to help slowly dissolve the stones still present in the kidney. Dottie has fully recovered and was recently returned to the interaction pools at Rocky Point Preserve. SeaWorld vets report that Dottie’s kidneys are functioning very well, that she is glad to be back in her social group of dolphins and trainers, and is once again interacting with park guests. SeaWorld vets seek to advance the field of marine mammal medicine and provide the best medical care possible to all its animals.

SEAWORLD CARING FOR BABY MANATEE AROUND THE CLOCK

Greg Smith — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:41:10 +0000

SeaWorld animal care specialists are a little bleary-eyed this week as they provide 24-hour care for a weeks-old, baby manatee. Orphaned by her mother, the female calf arrived at the park’s rehabilitation center on July 24 after being rescued from the waters of Daytona Beach, Fla.

SeaWorld Animal Care Specialist Jeff Braso bottle-feeds the baby manatee at the park's Rescue and Rehabilitation Center.

Every three hours the 3½-foot and 41-pound orphan is bottled-fed with the park’s nutrient-rich baby formula that promotes weight gain. Her weight is taken every other day as animal care specialists closely monitor her progress. She remains in guarded condition and park veterinarians hope to eventually return her back to the wild.

The animal was transported to SeaWorld by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.

SeaWorld is the global leader in the rescue and rehabilitation of manatees. The park’s Animal Rescue Team is on call 365 days a year and 24 hours a day.

-- SeaWorld --

SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Grant More Than $1 Million to Help Protect Animals In Need

Greg Smith — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:12:55 +0000

Animals in need and endangered species around the world will benefit from more than $1 million in grants awarded by the non-profit SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund. Since its creation seven years ago, the Fund has granted more than $7 million to protect wildlife and wild places.

The Fund’s board of directors approved the 2010 grants to 95 wildlife protection projects including rescue and rehabilitation efforts of endangered manatees and sea turtles, protection of critical habitats such as the Florida Keys, studies of declining shark populations and education programs that inspire people to care for at-risk wildlife.

“The challenges and pressures facing wildlife and entire ecosystems are greater than ever,” said Brad Andrews, president and executive director of the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund and chief zoological officer for SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. “We identify projects with the greatest potential to positively impact conservation so that every dollar we grant works as hard as possible to protect the animals.”

Just a few of the many projects and organizations supported in 2010 include:

Preserving the Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are known for sunshine and good times, but the area is also a vital ecological region suffering from environmental degradation. The Florida Keys Wildlife Rescue facility rescues and rehabilitates injured wildlife and educates the public on the importance of keeping the environment safe and clean for present and future generations.

San Diego Turtle and Tortoise Society

The San Diego Turtle and Tortoise Society is the only non-profit organization in San Diego that rescues turtles and tortoises of any species. They also provide medical care, foster care and permanent home placements. The Fund’s support will help with medical care requirements of the California Desert Tortoise and education of the public concerning the proper care of the tortoise as well as how to help protect species native to California.

Safe Guarding Sea Turtle Nesting Sites

Cameroon Sea Turtle Society is protecting newly identified green and leatherback turtle nesting sites along the Wole beach in the Republic of Cameroon. This is an important nesting ground for sea turtles threatened by ship building, toxic waste and egg poachers. The Society’s efforts include nesting site clean-ups, creating safe zones that would limit access and educating egg poachers in other income–generating trades.

Bald Eagle Rescue and Rehabilitation

Florida supports one of the largest breeding populations of bald eagles in the continental United States. The Audubon Center for Birds of Prey is the leading raptor rehabilitation facility in the region and works to protect bald eagles and their habitat through its rehabilitation program, nest monitoring program, and educational programs that reach more than 35,000 people annually.

Sand Tiger Shark Conservation

Due to their unfortunate reputation as a “man-eater”, sharks are often not thought of when the public considers wildlife conservation. The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries is currently doing a study on the decline of the sand tiger shark population along the east coast of the United States. This information will be integrated into the development of the Coastal Sharks Interstate Fishery Management Plan by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to further the conservation of this threatened species.

Conserving the West African Manatee

In Africa, the lack of basic knowledge about West African manatees has been a great hindrance to the long-term conservation of the species. The Wildlife Trust is working to create a unified network of African researchers in countries of the animal’s range to collect collaborative research on the endangered species.

Save the Elephants

The Mobile Education and Monitoring Unit is a new project that will double the outreach and education capabilities of the Save the Elephants Education Program in Samburu, northern Kenya. The work being done there includes long-term elephant monitoring and conducting mammal census in the Samburu and Buffalo Springs Reserves.

For more information on the Fund, please visit www.swbg-conservationfund.org.

A non-profit, 501(c)3 organization, the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund supports wildlife research, habitat protection, animal rescue and conservation education in the U.S. and more than 60 countries. Since its inception, the Fund has awarded more than $7 million, including animal crisis grants that provide rapid response and much-needed funding to animals and habitats in peril due to either natural or human-caused events and catastrophes. 100% of the donations the Fund receives goes to support these efforts.

SEAWORLD BRINGS DE-OILED SEA TURTLES TO PARK’S REHABILITATION FACILITY

Greg Smith — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:26:29 +0000

On Tuesday, July 20 SeaWorld transported 19 endangered green and Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles to the park’s rehabilitation facility for health issues directly related to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

SeaWorld’s Turtle Rescue Team transported the turtles from Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach, Fla. where the animal and veterinarian staff have been working to clean and de-oil the animals.

They are in stable condition but require extensive treatment before their eventual return to the wild. SeaWorld veterinarians examined the animals upon arrival at SeaWorld’s Rescue & Rehabilitation Center.

This is the second wave of oil-impacted turtles SeaWorld has received in the past few weeks. Twelve Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles arrived from Gulfport, Mississippi when a facility there needed to make room for oiled animals. SeaWorld aquarists returned five of them to waters off southwest Florida on July 8 and four more have been cleared for release.

SeaWorld is one of the few organizations with the expertise to tend to the special needs of multiple sea turtle species including both greens and Kemp’s Ridley.

The park is a global leader in the rescue and rehabilitation of sea turtles. The park’s Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation Team is in on call 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.

-- SeaWorld --