An animal hospital in the Florida Keys has given an endangered species of marine reptiles a second chance. The staff at The Turtle Hospital in Marathon has helped sea turtles survive and return to the sea, one treatment at a time. They were behind a recent heartwarming reunion with the sea, wh en they gave a turtle they treated a critical second chance. “The world-renowned Turtle Hospital was the first licensed veterinary turtle hospital in the world,” said Bette Zirkelbach, the hospital’s general manager. Currently, there are five species of sea turtle found in U.S. waters that are protected on the endangered species list. This means that every turtle life saved at the hospital makes a direct impact on the species’ survival. “What does the turtle hospital specialize in?” ABC News reporter Victor Oquendo asked. “Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and return threatened and endangered sea turtles to the wild,” said Zirkelbach. “Sea turtles are what we call a keystone species. What happens to them is eventually going to happen to all of life, so sea turtles are very important to keep an eye on.” “What does the process look like when a sea turtle arrives?” asked Oquendo. “Make sure they are stable, make sure they are breathing, just like a human hospital. Then we’re going to weigh them, collect blood, get photos and measurements,” said Zirkelbach. Didgeridoo, a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, the world’s most endangered turtle species, is one of several that have arrived from New England to be treated for “cold stun,” a condition similar to hypothermia. “We’re also looking at the joints to make sure she’s not developing any type of bone infection,” said Zirkelbach. After X-rays, she will undergo a tissue regenerative Class 4 laser treatment and wound care. Zirkelbach’s hope is that what starts at the hospital will extend far beyond those walls, and by educating the surrounding community, they can become a first line of defense. “What we do is educate people that are coming to the Keys to visit. They’re the same people boating and fishing and going out on our water,” said Zirkelbach. “Since we’ve increased educational programs, six out of 10 of our rescue calls come from people that have been through the center.” Over the last 40 years, the Turtle Hospital has been responsible for over 3,000 successful releases and counting. ...read more read less