Fibropapillomatosis is a debilitating disease affecting wild sea turtles globally, causing painful tumors that impair vision, mobility, and feeding. Understanding its causes and treatment options is critical for conservation welfare.
Fibropapillomatosis represents one of the most significant wildlife disease welfare challenges affecting marine turtles. Affected individuals experience a progressive and debilitating disease course: external tumors impair vision when located near eyes, restrict flipper function when located on joints, and obstruct the mouth when located near feeding structures. Internal tumors compromise organ function. The welfare burden is substantial — affected turtles struggle to feed, navigate, and breathe effectively. The connection between coastal water quality and FP prevalence suggests that human-driven environmental degradation is a contributing factor, creating an ethical dimension beyond simple disease management. Rehabilitation programs have demonstrated that turtles with external-only FP can achieve full remission following tumor removal in clean water environments, providing a meaningful welfare intervention pathway. Long-term solutions require both improved rehabilitation capacity and reduction of the coastal pollution and habitat degradation that appear to promote disease expression.