The diving journalist
7th February 2011, 13:52
Veterinarians at SeaWorld are nursing a critically injured green sea turtle that was found in San Diego Bay wounded in the neck with a shotgun.
Bruce, whose species is threatened, is a 250-pound adult male turtle.
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"Had he not come in and been given the care that we're giving him, which turned out to be lifesaving, he probably wouldn't have made it," said Tim Downing SeaWorld Assistant. Curator of Fishes.
Bruce was shot in the neck with a shotgun. The x-rays revealed four pellets still lodged in the muscle of his throat.
"It's sad and startling," said Downing who has been treating Bruce since he was brought to SeaWorld last Tuesday. "It's unfathomable what some people do when they're out there, so it is a shock."
Vets said they won't remove the pellets since they didn't damage any arteries or major organs and removing them might actually cause more damage. They believe the turtle was shot some time ago.
Bruce, whose species is threatened, is a 250-pound adult male turtle.
5975
"Had he not come in and been given the care that we're giving him, which turned out to be lifesaving, he probably wouldn't have made it," said Tim Downing SeaWorld Assistant. Curator of Fishes.
Bruce was shot in the neck with a shotgun. The x-rays revealed four pellets still lodged in the muscle of his throat.
"It's sad and startling," said Downing who has been treating Bruce since he was brought to SeaWorld last Tuesday. "It's unfathomable what some people do when they're out there, so it is a shock."
Vets said they won't remove the pellets since they didn't damage any arteries or major organs and removing them might actually cause more damage. They believe the turtle was shot some time ago.