By Steve Plunkett
Six weeks after taking over responsibility for the city’s sea turtle rehabilitation efforts, the nonprofit group formerly known as the Friends of Gumbo Limbo has not applied for a permit to run the program.
“No, Gumbo Limbo Coastal Stewards has not submitted an FWC Marine Turtle Permit application” as of May 30, Carli Segelson of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said when asked about the progress in reopening Gumbo Limbo Nature Center’s popular rehab unit.
Neither John Holloway, president and chief executive of the Stewards, nor his public relations spokeswoman, Melissa Perlman, could be reached immediately for comment.
Segelson said once the state agency receives the application, it will review the document for completeness and satisfaction of all applicable eligibility criteria.
“Additional information may be requested to complete the application package and/or better understand the information submitted,” she said.
Meanwhile, things were looking up for the sea turtles with a Gumbo Limbo Nature Center connection that were taken to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center after Boca Raton’s facility lost its rehabilitation permit in mid-March.
“Everyone’s doing well,” said Dr. Heather Barron, the chief science officer at the turtle hospital in Juno Beach. “We’ve had lots and lots of turtles coming and going.”
Segelson agreed it was a busy month. At least 55 turtles were admitted to FWC-authorized facilities across the state during May, she said.
Taylor, a juvenile green turtle that had been hit by a boat propeller, was rescued by Gumbo Limbo’s sea turtle conservation team in the Intracoastal Waterway and taken to the Marinelife Center on March 26. Barron performed a fracture repair with screws and wires and then a second surgery to remove necrotic bone and tissue.
Its prognosis wavered from “poor” to “still guarded,” but now the wound is healing.
“Taylor’s doing amazing,” Barron said. “It just takes time.”
Gumbo Limbo’s conservation team, which has a separate permit from the FWC, is busier than usual handling all turtle strandings now that the rehab unit is closed.
“Our 24-hour sea turtle Stranding Hotline is active and we go out on calls once or twice a week,” said David Anderson, Gumbo Limbo’s turtle conservation coordinator. “Our most recent rescue was a pier-hooked turtle in Pompano. It was also taken to LMC.”
Anderson’s team found another juvenile green in the Intracoastal behind Gumbo Limbo, named it Marcel and took it to Juno Beach on April 25. The 10-pound turtle, which had the tumor-producing disease fibropapillomatosis, had a half-pound tumor under its chin and smaller tumors on its body and right eye. Barron removed the tumors the next day and cleared Marcel for release on May 12.
The FWC approved its release soon after. Marcel had gained a pound after his surgery.
Gumbo Limbo’s conservation team also performs Boca Raton’s turtle nesting survey, turtle walks to see mother turtles lay their eggs, and hatchling releases.
The Gumbo Limbo Coastal Stewards signed an agreement with the city on April 25 letting the nonprofit assume all responsibility, operation and financing of the center’s sea turtle rescue, rehabilitation, research and release efforts. It has not announced any hires for a reconstituted rehab operation.
The city owns the nature center and the surrounding Red Reef Park; tax dollars from the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District cover all salaries, operations and improvements except for the turtle rehab costs that the Coastal Stewards will now pay.
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