Marine turtle rehabilitation centers provide emergency care to thousands of turtles annually, treating injuries from boat strikes, entanglement, and cold stunning, with the goal of returning recovered animals to the wild.
Marine turtle rehabilitation provides welfare support to individual animals that would otherwise die from anthropogenic injuries. Boat strikes cause fractures, internal injuries, and propeller lacerations that require intensive veterinary care. Cold stunned turtles are hypothermic, lethargic, and require gradual rewarming and supportive care. The welfare of rehabilitation patients requires appropriate tank conditions, suitable diet, and minimal stress handling. Decisions about whether to treat or euthanize severely injured animals require honest welfare assessment - turtles that cannot be expected to survive independently after rehabilitation may be better served by euthanasia than prolonged treatment.