Information
Landmark: Marathon Turtle HospitalCity: Florida Keys
Country: USA Florida
Continent: North America
Marathon Turtle Hospital, Florida Keys, USA Florida, North America
Overview
In Marathon, Florida, the Turtle Hospital works as a nonprofit that rescues injured sea turtles, nurses them back to health, and protects their ocean home.Richie Moretti opened it in 1986 as the first state-licensed veterinary hospital devoted entirely to caring for sea turtles, from tiny hatchlings to massive, barnacle-covered adults.The hospital’s main goal is to treat sick or injured turtles, help them recover, and send them back into the wild-flippers slicing through the water once more.It’s a key part of public education, sparking awareness about sea turtle conservation and protecting the environment-like showing kids how tiny hatchlings make their way to the sea.The Turtle Hospital has a clear mission with many parts.First, it rescues sick or injured sea turtles-sometimes found tangled in fishing line-and gives them the medical care and rehabilitation they need to heal.Injuries often stem from boat strikes, getting tangled in fishing gear, or diseases like fibropapillomatosis-a viral infection that leaves rough, tumor-like growths on a turtle’s shell and skin.The hospital helps protect sea turtles by safeguarding their nesting beaches and releasing rehabilitated turtles into the warm, rolling surf where they belong.Through guided tours, lively presentations, and hands-on activities-like gently touching a turtle’s smooth shell-the hospital teaches visitors about sea turtles, their homes, and the struggles they face in the wild.At the Turtle Hospital, sea turtles receive top-notch care in facilities built just for them, from spacious rehabilitation tanks to a fully equipped clinic staffed by veterinarians who know marine life inside and out.They offer everything from surgeries and medication to hands-on therapy, all aimed at helping injured sea turtles recover.Rehabilitation Tanks: The hospital houses 23 separate tanks, each holding anywhere from 150 to 800 gallons, where recovering sea turtles glide slowly through the water.The tanks mimic real habitats-a stretch of sandy bottom, a bit of warm, clear water-so the turtles can recover.Permanent residents: A few turtles must stay here for life because injuries-like shattered shells-make release impossible.In a wide saltwater pool, these turtles have made the hospital their home, greeting visitors, sparking curiosity, and standing as living ambassadors for sea turtle conservation.Ambulance Service: The hospital runs a fleet of ambulances ready to race to any stranding, sirens slicing through the air.Rescuers carry injured turtles to the hospital, their shells often scuffed and sandy, for treatment.The facility runs a 24/7 hotline so people can quickly report turtles that are hurt or stranded, even if it’s the middle of the night.The Turtle Hospital runs educational programs that help people understand and care about sea turtles, from their fragile hatchlings to the challenges they face in the wild.These programs include guided tours, where visitors stroll through the hospital, hear stories of its past, see how turtles are rehabilitated, and learn about the kinds of injuries-like cracked shells from boat strikes-they often endure.On the tour, guests slip behind the scenes to peek into the receiving room, the hum of the x-ray room, and the bright, sterile operating room.Interactive Feeding Sessions: Each tour wraps up with a chance to hand-feed the hospital’s resident turtles, feeling the gentle brush of their shells as you learn what’s on their daily menu.The hospital hosts engaging talks on sea turtle anatomy, behavior, and conservation, sharing practical ways-like keeping beaches clean-to help protect these gentle creatures and the waters they call home.Most tours run about 70 to 90 minutes, just long enough to stroll past the old clock tower and hear its chimes.Admission is $30 for adults (13 and up), $15 for kids ages 4 to 12, and free for children under 4; you’ll find us at 2396 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050, with the education center and gift shop open every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., when sunlight spills through the front windows.You can join a guided tour any day between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the halls echo faintly with the guide’s voice.Visitors can support the hospital’s mission in many ways-one is adopting a turtle.Through the Turtle Hospital’s program, you can sponsor a turtle’s care, from fresh lettuce leaves to daily health checks.This sponsorship covers the cost of treating injured turtles and getting them back on their flippers.Make a donation-your gift keeps the hospital’s work alive, from funding urgent surgeries to stocking fresh bandages in the ER.Your donations keep the lights on and fuel vital conservation work, from protecting nesting sites to restoring fragile habitats.Spread the word-when visitors teach others why sea turtles and their nesting beaches matter, they’re helping safeguard the ocean’s future.In short, the Turtle Hospital in Marathon is more than a place to heal injured turtles-it’s a lively center for conservation, hands-on research, and education, all focused on safeguarding sea turtles and the waters they call home.Visit the hospital, join an educational program, or help with conservation projects, and you’ll play a part in keeping these remarkable creatures safe-so children decades from now can still watch them glide through the water.Whether you love animals, care deeply about conservation, or just want an educational outing with the kids, the Turtle Hospital delivers an experience you won’t forget-hands-on learning paired with the chance to help save a sea turtle with your own eyes.
