Saving Nalu

Nalu, a sub-adult loggerhead sea turtle, recently received life-saving surgery at the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Nalu was accidentally caught by an angler on a fishing hook off a pier in coastal Alabama. The angler acted quickly by communicating with the appropriate Alabama sea turtle response team. After following up with NOAA officials, Nalu was transported to the Mississippi Sea Turtle Stranding Response Team at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies (IMMS) in Gulfport for critical medical care provided by the institute and Dr. Alexandra Emelianchik, a former CVM faculty member and veterinarian within the Global Center for Aquatic Health and Food Security (GCAHFS). A physical examination and x-rays showed that Nalu was impacted by multiple hooks: two in the mouth, one externally and one in the esophagus that included both metal and clear fishing line. This line extended into Nalu’s stomach and intestines. 

A few of the hooks were removed by Dr. Emelianchik with support from the IMMS stranding staff. Another hook was deeply embedded with multiple monofilament fishing lines, so Nalu made the four-hour journey from IMMS to the Wise Center, where she underwent an extensive surgery. The CVM’s anesthesia, internal medicine and surgery teams worked together to safely remove most of the foreign material, including the hook embedded in Nalu’s esophagus.

Following surgery at the Wise Center, Nalu returned to IMMS, where the veterinary and animal care teams continue to closely monitor her recovery. Her case highlights not only the serious threat that fishing hooks and discarded line can pose to sea turtles, but also the importance of rapid reporting, coordinated stranding response and collaboration among institutions.

Nalu still has a significant recovery ahead, but the ultimate goal remains the same: to see her healthy enough to return to the wild.