Published: 27th June 2011
Snorkel the loggerhead turtle is on her travels this week from her home at The National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth. Snorkel, who was found washed up in Sennen Cove, Cornwall, in 1990, will travel to Cheltenham for a specialist MRI scan on Saturday 25th June.
Snorkel, who is now in her mid-20s, has been a resident at the Aquarium for over ten years, as various health problems have meant that she could not be released back into the wild – loggerhead turtles are an unusual sight in an aquarium due to their protected status. Staff believe that many of these problems stem from a trauma suffered when she first came ashore. Snorkel suffers from suspected epilepsy, for which she receives daily treatment of the same medication used by humans. A fit suffered underwater can be particularly serious. The scan will allow the Aquarium to see if there are any other issues, such as a brain tumour, that may be causing the fits.
The National Marine Aquarium vet, Sue Thornton, who is part of the International Zoo Veterinary Group and has been caring for Snorkel for five years, believes it is in her best interest to have the MRI scan: “Once we have the scans of her head, we will be able to see if she has a brain tumour. This will then allow us to make decision about her future treatment” said Sue. “We will be doing everything we can to reduce any stress that she may experience whilst away from home.”
Snorkel will be taken from her tank at The Aquarium and covered in petroleum jelly to prevent her skin and shell from drying out. She will then be placed in a foam box to prevent her from being injured on her journey from Plymouth to Cheltenham, during which she will be accompanied by Sue and three experienced aquarists. The scanning unit in Gloucester has been selected as it has an extra high unit which is capable of dealing with a turtle of Snorkel’s size.
James Wright, Senior Biologist, at the National Marine Aquarium, who has been administering Snorkel’s medication for the last three years, said: “Snorkel is a firm favourite with our visitors, with some travelling to the Aquarium especially to see what she has been up to. We will be doing everything we can to keep her healthy and happy - I will be with her throughout the scan, and then take her back to the Aquarium where her progress will be monitored throughout the night.”
Snorkel weighs 71kg and is fed twice a day, munching her way through 100 squid every week. She is currently the only loggerhead turtle in her tank at the Aquarium - in the wild, turtles are solitary animals, so adding another to the tank could lead to fighting and possible serious injury.
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