Today's Article

Katie Ornelas, Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Technician, MOCMI: We got a call this morning around 9:30 about a turtle with some fishing line wrapped around the neck. 

"Let's get the flying ox." 

We removed the fishing line and found that there was no broken skin or anything like that, so the turtle was cleared to be 3released. 

"I'd like to get that in there."

"Okay, you're good buddy."

"Jump, bud." 

CNN Correspondent: After 4taking some measurements, "49 .7." and placing tags, this green sea turtle is ready to go. Fortunately, its injury could be treated 5on site, but not all of their patients are so lucky. Dustin Paradis is the Executive Director at MOCMI, 6overseeing the rescue and 7rehab of sea turtles in 8critical condition. 

Dustin Paradis, Executive Director, MOCMI: The majority of the cases that we see are due to fishing line 9entanglement. The 10flipper is 11severely 12compromised, so we use a 13multi-modal approach to try to 14preserve that flipper. So we will 15amputate flippers 16in a worst-case scenario. So this turtle had entanglement on both front flippers around the neck as well and then the 17hind flippers were entangled. So this turtle was a mess when we got it. So we treat these turtles every 72 hours when they first come in. So they're on 18antibiotics. So we draw blood weekly to monitor the healing process. So we have another green sea turtle patient here. It was found on the beach with a broken humerus bone. 

CNN Correspondent: Kirby was flown in from Hawaii Island two weeks ago and required an 19amputation due to the 20severity of his condition. 

Dustin Paradis: So there's no bone remaining in here in this flipper area, it's just 21soft tissue. And these patients heal up very quickly, so they take about two weeks after surgery. So we're just going to do some quick laser therapy, 22topical therapy, and 23do a blood draw, and we'll be on our way with this patient.