Rescued Green Sea Turtle Meatloaf Undergoes Rehabilitation at Aquarium of the Pacific

The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach has opened public viewing of a rescued green sea turtle named Meatloaf, who is undergoing rehabilitation for a severe front flipper injury. Meatloaf was found entangled in fishing line and rope in the San Gabriel River earlier this year, according to aquarium officials.

The entanglement had worn down the tissue on one front flipper to the bone, requiring immediate medical intervention.

Aquarium staff rescued the turtle and transported her to the facility. Despite the injury, Meatloaf was in generally good condition and healthy prior to the entanglement, officials said.

Meatloaf has been in recovery following her initial surgery to preserve the damaged flipper.

Early signs of healing have been observed. The rescue involved aquarium volunteers surveying green sea turtles in the San Gabriel River. When volunteers spotted the entangled turtle, they contacted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's stranding hotline and monitored her until staff arrived.

Veterinarians determined that bringing Meatloaf to the aquarium was necessary for safe disentanglement and care. Meatloaf now resides in the aquarium's sea turtle rehabilitation pool. The pool allows public observation of the rehabilitation process.

This setup aims to inform visitors about marine animal recovery efforts. Sea turtles are attracted to river environments like the San Gabriel River for warmer temperatures and food, but these areas also collect urban runoff and debris, increasing entanglement risks.

Green sea turtles face ongoing threats from such marine debris along the Southern California coast.