Sea turtle rehabilitation centers treat thousands of injured and ill sea turtles annually, providing welfare-centered care that supports both individual recovery and population conservation.
Individual sea turtles in rehabilitation experience significant welfare challenges from the injuries or conditions requiring their care. Cold-stunned turtles face hypothermia-induced lethargy and the disorientation of being stranded in an alien environment. Boat strike injuries cause traumatic injury to shells and internal organs. Fibropapillomatosis causes debilitating tumor growth that impairs vision, mobility, and feeding. Rehabilitation itself involves repeated handling, medical procedures, and extended captivity that cause stress to wild animals adapted to open ocean living. However, the welfare case for rehabilitation is strong when the alternative is death. The welfare considerations extend to minimizing stress during captivity through appropriate temperature management, appropriate diet, and minimizing unnecessary handling.