Patient story
Meet Lily
Discover how your support helps turtles like Lily return home.
Patient Info
SPECIES
Green Sea Turtle
aGE
5-10 Years
wEIGHT
9.5 Lbs
DATE ARRIVED
03/21/2026
ISSUE
FP
the story
About Lily
Lily was found washed ashore in St. Johns County this past February due to being positively buoyant, making it impossible to submerge enough to eat and perform normal turtle behaviors. Lily spent time as a patient in a northern Florida hospital before being transferred to STS for continued care and corrective surgery.
Rescue
Luckily for Lily, someone spotted them washed up on the beach and called for help. After rescue, a full diagnostic workup was performed to determine the cause of the stranding. Lily was lethargic and emaciated upon arrival.
Diagnose
Bloodwork showed hypoglycemia and dehydration due to starvation. A high white cell count also indicated a systemic infection. Radiographs showed old healed injuries to the carapace but nothing of concern. Lily also had small fibropapilloma (FP) tumors.
Care
Lily received antibiotics for the infection and supportive care to correct the low blood sugar and dehydration. She or he began eating very well and was no longer buoyant. Lily showed great progress early on. Once stabilized, Lily also underwent several FP tumor removal surgeries.
Fun Fact
Buoyancy can be a quick fix or can be a life long problem depending on the underlying cause. Buoyancy caused by gas, air, or infection is correctable. Notice the trapped air in the intestines in this radiograph. Buoyancy however can also be caused by a mechanical issue when there is a spinal injury. In those cases, turtles need to undergo physical therapy to learn how to dive again as a paraplegic. Spinal injuries are unfortunately seen often due to boat strike injuries.
Released!
June 18, 2026
Lily made a full recovery and was released back into the Atlantic Ocean on June 18, 2026!