A massive loggerhead sea turtle named Pennywise, weighing 302 pounds (137 kilograms), was recently rescued off Florida’s Atlantic coast after suffering a severe boat strike injury. Rescuers found Pennywise floating in the ocean with significant blunt force trauma to her shell, which had begun to heal.
The injured turtle was brought to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach for urgent medical care. However, due to her size, Pennywise was too large for the center’s standard scanning equipment. The veterinary team quickly arranged for a CT scan at Jupiter Medical Center, but she was still too big for their machines.
In an innovative solution, Pennywise was taken to the Palm Beach Equine Clinic in Wellington, where the CT scan was performed on equipment designed for horses. Heather Barron, chief science officer and veterinarian at Loggerhead, said, “Luckily, the horse-sized machine was big enough to fit this lady through.”
The scan revealed a surprise—Pennywise is carrying eggs. “We hope to get her back into the wild soon so she can lay those eggs,” Barron added. Loggerhead turtles, an endangered species, often lay multiple clutches during the nesting season, which runs from March 1 to October 31 in Florida.
Pennywise’s injuries were estimated to be about a month old. The scans showed damage to the bones surrounding her spinal cord, but her neurological exam indicated that all nerves remained intact—a positive sign for her recovery. She is currently receiving high-powered antibiotics and undergoing close monitoring.
Barron described Pennywise’s case as a “textbook example of a turtle returning to the area for mating and nesting season, only to fall victim to an entirely preventable boat-strike injury.”
Officials at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center are urging boaters to slow down and be cautious, especially within the Sea Turtle Protection Zone, which extends one mile off the coast. These precautions are critical to protect vulnerable sea turtles during their nesting season.
The rescue and treatment of Pennywise highlight the ongoing challenges endangered marine life face from human activities and the importance of conservation efforts to ensure these majestic creatures can thrive in the wild.
