Turtle Rescued from Cape Cod Receives Lung Biopsy

Photo courtesy of the Mississippi Aquarium

BOSTON – A sea turtle that was saved from the Cape Cod area back in December 2020 recently received a lung biopsy as part of their recovery.

The Kemp’s ridley sea turtle named Fog was found cold-stunned by volunteers and staff members with the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.

After it was discovered that Fog had Mycobacterium chelonae–a pathogen that’s common in sea animals but is also hard to treat–he was taken in by the New England Aquarium for care.

The pathogen initially led to Fog contracting pneumonia.

Since this past October, Fog has continued to get treatment at the Mississippi Aquarium.

Director of Animal Health with the New England Aquarium Dr. Charles Innis went down to Mississippi to conduct the surgery.

Staff members said that Fog is healing after a successful procedure, adding that he could be released into the Mississippi Sound within the next several weeks.