Patient story
Meet Wheezy
Discover how your support helps turtles like Wheezy return home.
Patient Info
SPECIES
Green Sea Turtle
aGE
10-15 Years
wEIGHT
15.2 Lbs
DATE ARRIVED
09/07/2026
ISSUE
Buoyancy / Strangulation
the story
About Wheezy
Wheezy was spotted in the Intracoastal Waterway in need of immediate help. The Intracoastal is an important habitat for many young green sea turtles, where they can spend several years growing, foraging on seagrass, and resting around reef structures. It can be an ideal place for a young turtle to grow up, but they share these waters with people—and with the impacts that come with us. Boat traffic, fishing activity, and marine debris can quickly turn this otherwise productive habitat into a dangerous place for a sea turtle.
Rescue
Wheezy was found struggling at the surface of the Intracoastal Waterway, unable to take a full, clear breath. Monofilament fishing line was wrapped tightly around their neck, severely constricting the airway. Rescuers acted quickly, cutting away the fishing line and allowing Wheezy to finally take a deep breath—possibly their first comfortable breath in quite some time. Wheezy was then immediately transported to Sea Turtle Specialists for further evaluation and treatment.
Diagnose
Upon arrival, Wheezy had a loud, raspy sound with every breath. The fishing line had left a deep, circumferential wound around the neck, but the damage extended far beneath the skin. The constant pressure from the tightly wrapped line had compressed and narrowed Wheezy’s trachea, giving them a signature wheezy breath that immediately reminded us of the beloved character Wheezy from Toy Story. Radiographs also revealed that this was not Wheezy’s first encounter with a human-related injury. Long before coming into our care, Wheezy had survived a severe boat strike that healed and permanently changed the shape of their carapace, leaving it with an unusual pyramid-like appearance. This change in body shape also affects the way Wheezy swims and dives. With older injuries like this, sea turtles can develop chronic buoyancy problems as the altered shape of the shell affects their ability to move normally through the water.
Care
Steroid therapy and therapeutic laser treatments are being used to reduce inflammation and promote healing around Wheezy’s neck and trachea. We are already seeing encouraging progress—Wheezy’s signature “wheezy” sound has disappeared, and they are now breathing much more comfortably. We will continue monitoring the healing of the trachea with radiographs before turning our attention to Wheezy’s buoyancy issues. Buoyancy disorders associated with older injuries like Wheezy’s can require specialized physical therapy, including weighted diving exercises to help strengthen swimming and diving abilities. Wheezy’s prognosis remains guarded, but they are already showing us their big personality—and an even bigger love of food!
Fun Fact
A sea turtle’s top shell is called the carapace, while the bottom shell is called the plastron. The carapace isn’t simply a hard covering—it is a living part of the turtle’s body made up of the spine, modified ribs, other bone and tissue, and an outer layer of keratin scutes. Sea turtles can feel their shells and are often seen rubbing their carapaces against rocks and other structures. The pyramid-like shape of Wheezy’s carapace is called kyphosis. While kyphosis cannot be reversed, its appearance may become less pronounced as Wheezy grows larger. The abnormal shape also affects more than what we see on the outside, as the shape of the carapace influences the space and positioning of the lungs, spine, and other internal organs and can affect how a turtle swims, dives, and maintains normal buoyancy.
Symbolically Adopt Wheezy
Before release, patients like Wheezy need extensive care. Your adoption helps cover the costs of medication, food, and rehabilitation equipment.
*Adoptions are symbolic donations that support our mission.