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The Disney Animal Care Team: Dedicated to Saving Sea Turtles
Did you know Disney’s animal care experts have rehabilitated and released over 350 sea turtles in the last four decades? This World Sea Turtle Day, get to know the incredible animal care team at The Seas with Nemo & Friends at EPCOT, who are working daily to ensure the survival of these beautiful creatures.
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While research suggests some sea turtle populations may be recovering, they still face significant global threats like habitat loss, pollution, and poaching. Continued efforts to aid their population growth are crucial. At The Seas with Nemo & Friends at EPCOT, a dedicated team of cast members focuses on rehabilitating injured sea turtles found off Florida’s coast. They recently received three cold-stunned turtles named Bond, Little Foot, and Thunder, transferred by the Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission after being discovered off Jacksonville. Cold-stunning is a condition where sea turtles become weak and inactive due to dangerously cold water temperatures.
Recovering from this type of hypothermia can be life-threatening, but these three turtles, Bond, Little Foot, and Thunder, received world-class care from our animal care team and made full recoveries. Bond, a juvenile green sea turtle, faced additional complications when he was found, battling pneumonia. A dedicated team of aquarists and veterinarians developed a specialized care plan that ultimately prepared him for his release into the wild near St. Augustine last month.
“Sea turtle rehab medicine is one of my favorite parts of being a veterinarian,” said Dr. Kyle, a veterinarian with Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment. “It’s a small way that I can try to restore some health to the ocean and share this message with our Guests at Disney to inspire communities to protect and preserve the ocean.”
Just like Bond, hundreds of other sea turtles have been rehabilitated at Walt Disney World and successfully returned to the ocean. Disney has long championed and participated in sea turtle rehabilitation and release, a practice vital for the species’ survival and incredibly rewarding for the passionate cast members involved.
“We can all make a difference by keeping beaches clean, turning off lights near the shore at night, avoiding marked nests, and knocking down your sandcastles,” says Emily, a conservation programs manager who spearheads Disney’s sea turtle conservation efforts. “Every small action helps create a safer, healthier environment for sea turtles and coastal wildlife.”
Addressing the conservation needs of sea turtles requires a mighty team effort. To date, the Disney Conservation Fund has played a role in protecting over 1,000 wildlife species across every continent and ocean, including these remarkable marine reptiles.
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