One of the World’s Rarest Turtles Washes Ashore in Texas Covered in Living Organisms

When rescuers found the sea turtle stranded on a Texas beach, she was barely moving.

Her body and shell were covered in barnacles, algae, sediment and other organisms known as epibionts. The heavy growth had left the turtle lethargic and weighed down, suggesting she may have been struggling in the water for some time.

According to Christopher Marshall, director of the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research, the problem can quickly become a dangerous cycle. When a sea turtle becomes sick and swims more slowly, organisms in the water can begin attaching themselves to its body. The additional weight then makes swimming even harder, forcing the turtle to spend more energy and allowing even more organisms to accumulate.

By the time this rare turtle reached the beach, she was in critical condition.

After being rescued, she was rushed to the Houston Zoo for an emergency veterinary examination. She was then transported to the rehabilitation hospital operated by the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research, where a dedicated team began working to stabilize her.

The turtle’s condition was serious, but she was finally receiving the care she desperately needed.

Veterinarians, staff, volunteers and students came together to give her the best possible chance. For a turtle already burdened by illness and the organisms covering her body, every bit of strength mattered.

She had somehow made it to shore.

Now, the fight was to help her become strong enough to return to the water.