Tuesday Turtle: 150-pound green sea turtle found impaled with a spear

An injured turtle was found off the coast in Florida impaled with a spear in the base of its neck.

The turtle, spotted by a good Samaritan, was in distress with the spear and was also caught in a lobster trap line and buoy caught around it. The Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission officers were called and mounted a rescue.

Officers were able to get the injured animal on their boat and arranged to meet biologists at a nearby state park. The turtle was then transported to the Sea Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida by ambulance and had emergency surgery.

It is currently recovering and in “stable but guarded condition.”

Authorities are now investigating and seeking tips. Sea turtles are protected by federal and state laws and it is illegal to harm or harass them.

The Turtle Hospital in Marathon removed the three-foot spear from the sub-adult green sea turtle’s neck. According to the hospital, it’s the second sea turtle found this summer impaled by a spear — the first was found dead in June in Biscayne National Park.

Doctors performed emergency surgery to remove the spear, which spanned more than half of her body.

“It’s highly unlikely this was an accident as the turtle has an injury on its plastron that looks like someone tried to spear her on her underside.” Dr. Doug Mader said in a statement. “The amazing team at the Turtle Hospital worked their magic to give this turtle a second chance. Now it is just a matter of healing before she can be released.”

The turtle has now been renamed “Splinter.”

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Peg Fong is also in recovery from newspapers

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