Support Sea Turtle Recovery's Urgent Needs After Fire

At approximately 9:40 pm, Sea Turtle Recovery received a call from staff inside the Turtle Back Zoo that lightning had hit our hospital and the building was on fire. We rushed to Sea Turtle Recovery's hospital and found the West Orange Fire Department and others working to stop the fire. The sea turtles were exposed to heavy smoke, so we immediately moved them to a safe building inside the zoo for triage. STR staff and volunteers began doing thorough exams of all our patients, and the zoo staff assisted. A critically endangered Kemp's Ridley, named Pickles, was in our hospital fighting a respiratory infection. During his emergency exam, his heart rate dropped dangerously low. STR's vet immediately gave medical instructions to our staff. Pickles was then swam in an emergency pool to stimulate deeper breathing. You cannot imagine our relief when his swimming became regular, and he began exhibiting normal behaviors. Our Loggerhead, a Green Sea Turtle, and all three Kemp's were stabilized. We headed the 4 hours to NY as the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society began preparing their tanks for our arrival. Our day has not stopped, and we have been up without rest. The turtles are now safe, and they are being monitored closely.

We know there are so many to thank, including the fire department for their quick action that put out the fire, the zoo staff that became our right hand through it all and spotted the fire after the hit, and now the NY team is still helping us. We know some are left out, and we will have more posts soon.

For now, please know that our staff are still preparing tanks, which will include new divider purchases, buying food until ours is obtained back in NJ, and will eventually, hopefully, find shifts to rest at a local hotel. Our medicines and supplies are with us.

We cannot begin to assess the damage, and we do not know at this time all of the filtration and tank damage that was done. Again, our animals are the current focus. All we can say simply is that 7 years ago this hospital was a dream, and now 122 animals have been released. The turtles never give up, and they have taught us to never give up on them or ourselves. Sea Turtle Recovery is the only long-term care hospital in NJ, and WE WILL NOT give up. Again, the turtles are stable. We are making sure they are comfortable. We were blessed for so many circumstances that followed this initial lightning strike. So many things that could have gone wrong did not. Grateful cannot express it.

If you can, we DESPERATELY need your help.