A 302-pound loggerhead sea turtle hit by a boat gets an oversize CT scan, with a surprise
Share this @internewscast.com

A giant loggerhead sea turtle named Pennywise experienced a boat collision off Florida’s Atlantic coast and needed medical attention. Weighing 302 pounds (137 kilograms), she was too large for the typical equipment at the turtle hospital.

The veterinary team at Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach initially tried Jupiter Medical Center. However, Pennywise was too sizable for the hospital’s human CT scanner.

An adult female loggerhead sea turtle named Pennywise swims in a rehabilitation tank at Loggerhead Marinelife Center on Friday, May 23, 2025, in Juno Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Cody Jackson)

Thinking on their feet, the team decided on an alternative: transporting Pennywise to Palm Beach Equine Clinic in Wellington, where they successfully performed the scan using equipment meant for horses.

“And, luckily, the horse-sized machine was big enough to fit this lady through,” Heather Barron, the chief science officer and veterinarian at Loggerhead, told The Associated Press.

Turns out, they also got a nice surprise: Images showed that Pennywise is carrying eggs.

“We hope we’ll be able to get her back out there into the wild as soon as possible so that she can lay those eggs,” Barron said.

Dr. Heather Barron shows a CT scan of a sea turtle who was struck by a boat, at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, Fla., Friday, May 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Cody Jackson)

Loggerheads, an endangered species, often lay multiple clutches during a season, she said.

Pennywise arrived at the center Monday, after a crew from Inwater Research Group found her floating in the Atlantic with significant blunt force trauma to her shell that had already started to heal.

The staff at the Juno Beach turtle center estimated that Pennywise’s injuries were about a month old. Barron said the imaging showed some damage to the bones that surround the spinal cord. They have the turtle on high-powered antibiotics.

“Luckily, right now, her neurologic exam shows that all those nerves are intact. And that is a great sign for her. We’re very excited about that, and we’ll just be rechecking to make sure that we have no progression of the disease, and as soon as we feel like that wound is healed well enough, she can go back out into the wild.”

Even so, Barron said, Pennywise’s story is a “textbook case of a turtle returning to the area for mating and nesting season, only to fall victim to an entirely preventable boat-strike injury.”

Because nesting season in Florida runs from March 1 to Oct. 31, officials at the sea turtle center are encouraging boaters to slow down and to be especially mindful in what they refer to as the Sea Turtle Protection Zone, which extends a mile (1.6 kilometers) off the coast.

___

Frisaro reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Inmate Dies Following Suspected Assault at Buchanan County Prison

An inmate at Keen Mountain Correctional Center in Buchanan County, Virginia, has…

US Strikes on Iranian Military Sites: Key Targets Hit, Yet Some Strengths Persist

WASHINGTON – Following the recent ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United…

Ex-K9 Nero’s Owner Makes Short Court Appearance – Get the Latest Updates

UNICOI COUNTY, Tenn. — In a recent court appearance, the former owner…

Euphoria’ Returns for Third Season, Paving the Way for Emerging Talent

Few television series have introduced as many rising stars as “Euphoria,” which…

Shocking Gray Man Arson: Man Allegedly Sets Mother’s Home Ablaze

In a shocking incident that unfolded in Washington County, Tennessee, authorities have…

High School Student’s Innovative 3D Design Yields Significant Savings for Seminole County’s Election Equipment

In a remarkable display of ingenuity, a sophomore from Lake Mary High…

Delta Goodrem Set to Shine on Eurovision Stage, Inspired by Celine Dion

LONDON – Delta Goodrem stands out at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest,…

Liberty Bell Incident: Student Faces Simple Assault Charge, JCPD Reports

In a recent event at Liberty Bell Middle School, a juvenile has…

Heroic ROTC Cadets and Leader Thwart Gunman Attack at Old Dominion University: Firsthand Accounts

A gripping account has emerged from the cadets of Virginia’s Old Dominion…

Sotomayor Highlights Unprecedented Surge in Emergency Docket Appeals Under Trump Administration

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has secured a series of victories through…