Sea turtle strandings from fibropapillomatosis, cold stunning, and human impacts require extensive rehabilitation programs to return affected animals to the ocean.
Stranded sea turtles face significant suffering from their presenting conditions including tumor growth affecting vision and mobility, hypothermia, and injuries from boat strikes. Rehabilitation involves stressful handling and medical procedures but gives animals the opportunity to return to the wild. Reducing the human causes of stranding including plastic pollution and boat strikes is the most impactful welfare intervention.