Mississippi State University Saves Rare Sea Turtle Once Again!
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Toast Malone, a member of the critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle species, has successfully completed his third visit to Mississippi State University’s (MSU) College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) for specialized care. This time around, a fishhook lodged in his stomach threatened his life. However, the resourceful team of veterinarians at MSU managed to safely remove it, thus saving the turtle’s life.
MSU’s Lifesaving Efforts
MSU’s CVM has seen Toast Malone before and have even performed two similar operations aiding his survival. Additionally, they implanted a microchip into the sea turtle to track him and monitor his recovery. These lifesaving efforts are part of the Global Center for Aquatic Health and Food Security (GCAHFS) initiative. This program, a collaboration between the CVM of MSU and the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport, is actively involved in marine health and sea turtle conservation.
Dr. John Thomason, a Professor and Internist at MSU’s CVM, performed the successful endoscopy to remove the fishhook. Thomason acknowledges the important role the university has in protecting and promoting the health of marine life through state-of-the-art procedures, study, and research.
“We Are Giving These Animals the Opportunity to Recover and Thrive”
Thomason said turtles have remarkable geographic navigational skills and are known to return to familiar areas, despite the hazards they may encounter. “It is inevitable that humans are going to come in contact with marine animals, and it should be our responsibility to help these animals if they need us—especially if we move into their environment,” he said.
Another Sea Turtle Case at MSU’s CVM
Another sea turtle, a loggerhead known as Mudpie, was successfully treated by Dr. Thomason and the CVM team for two fishhooks caught in its esophagus and mouth. The successful treatment of both these cases reflects the comprehensive and committed role CVM faculty, staff, and students play in the rehabilitation and conservation efforts for marine animals.
Real-World Learning and Experience for MSU Students
The hands-on experience the MSU veterinary students gain from these rare cases is invaluable for their learning and future careers. Fourth-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student Kathryn Rapp from Hamburg, New York, aspires to specialize in aquatic and exotic animals. She found the opportunity to witness and assist these procedures to be an incredible learning experience.
“As a group, we reviewed anesthetic protocols for chelonians, learned how to safely restrain for the procedure and discussed the upper airway anatomy of sea turtles. It was amazing to see students, staff and doctors from so many departments of the hospital combine their knowledge and skills to help these endangered animals,” she shared.
Post-Procedure Recovery Efforts at GCAHFS
Following the successful surgeries at the Starkville-based veterinary hospital, both sea turtles were returned to the Mississippi coast under the GCAHFS care for further rehabilitation. “We need to make sure these turtles are eating, gaining weight, able to swim and dive,” Thomason said. “They need to show us that they can survive in the wild. I am optimistic they will both be released.”
In conclusion, the dedicated team at Mississippi State University is working tirelessly to ensure the survival of these precious marine creatures, taking care of what truly matters.
