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Circled around the largest tank, at The Turtle Hospital, in Marathon, Florida, the tour group stands ready. The guide drops a handful of pellets into our palms. We are instructed to toss a few pellets at a time into the water. The turtles glide over to the pellets. They munch. Watching rescue animals munch, brings endless delight.
Visiting The Turtle Hospital is considered a required part of a road-trip to or from Key West, Florida. As the car pulls into the parking lot, I’m impressed. This is the second reinvented motel we have encountered on our travels. The first was Copper Fox Distillery, in Virginia. It’s encouraging to see buildings repurposed for positive goals, instead of being left to decay over years, even decades. More motel repurposing, please.
Tours of The Turtle Hospital operate every half-hour, 9am-4pm. After purchasing our tickets, we spend time in the exhibit area, until our group is called.
The group sits in a small room. A brief video plays, then our guide, Sabrina, gives an overview of The Turtle Hospital.
Opening their doors in 1986, their mission is to rescue sick and/or injured turtles, rehabilitate them, then release them back into the wild. The tours assist in funding the hospital’s endeavors, as well as educating the public about sea turtles, their safety, and their health.
There are no surgeries taking place on the day of our visit.
Sabrina describes some of the surgeries performed at the hospital. Many involve injuries caused by boats, or fishing gear entanglement, but the majority of turtles are here because of fibropapilloma. Fibropapilloma, is a virus that causes debilitating tumors. In addition to treating fibropapilloma, The Turtle Hospital conducts research, isolating the cause of this spreading, sea turtle, disease.
The first set of tanks we encounter, are the turtles at the end of their rehab experience.
The Turtle Hospital shares the release dates on their website, and the public is welcome to cheer on the fully healed turtles.
The largest tank, formerly the motel’s swimming pool, contains the hospital’s permanent residents.
They are the sea turtles who were treated for injuries and/or tumors, but are not able to return to the wild. They are the munching turtles we get to feed.
Signs around the area, encourage visitors to adopt a turtle to assist with care expenses.
Sabrina informs us that staff take turns naming each turtle brought to the hospital. The majority of the current turtles have Taylor Swift related names. A fan of The Breakfast Club and Futurama, my favorite permanent resident, is a female turtle named Bender.
As we walk the grounds, we learn turtles aren’t the only animals living on property.
The last patients we meet are the turtles in active treatment. We learn that turtles with multiple
tumors, need the tumors removed in phases. It can be a difficult and lengthy process. If like me, you have a fierce love for animals, this part of the tour is tough. It’s important to see the sickest turtles to fully understand the amazing work the hospital is doing, the importance of financial support, volunteer support, and research.
I know these turtles are in good hands, and will eventually get better, but seeing them still makes my heart sad.
The tour lasts for about 90 minutes. It finishes back at the Gift Shop/Exhibit Space. After spending more time with the exhibits, we head back to the car, and continue our drive along Highway 1.
If you enjoy rescue animal experiences, add The Turtle Hospital to your list. Note, this is not an
activity that permits you to touch or hold the turtles. You are here to observe the turtles and learn about the hospital.
It is an excellent educational opportunity. The tour provides an extensive amount of information regarding the dangers affecting Florida’s sea turtle population, and actions being taken, to care for and protect them. Whether you are road-tripping to or from Key West, prioritize a stop at Marathon’s, Turtle Hospital.
Visit The Turtle Hospital, then find a great place to spend the night in Key West
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