Oversized Loggerhead Sea Turtle Undergoes Unusual CT Scan, veaReveals She's Carrying Eggs.

A 302-pound loggerhead sea turtle named Pennywise is recovering at a Florida rehabilitation center after being struck by a boat — and she’s carrying eggs.

Pennywise was found floating off Florida’s Atlantic coast by the Inwater Research Group, showing signs of severe blunt force trauma to her shell. The injuries, believed to be about a month old, had already begun to heal by the time she was transported to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach. However, her size posed an immediate challenge — she was too large for the facility’s diagnostic equipment.

Veterinarians first tried taking her to Jupiter Medical Center, hoping a human CT scanner might work, but Pennywise was too big for that machine as well. The team then turned to Palm Beach Equine Clinic in Wellington, which uses scanning equipment designed for horses. Fortunately, it was just the right fit.

"The horse-sized machine was big enough to fit this lady through," said Dr. Heather Barron, chief science officer and veterinarian at the Loggerhead center.

During the scan, the team discovered something unexpected — Pennywise is carrying eggs. Loggerhead sea turtles, a species listed as endangered, typically lay multiple clutches of eggs during nesting season, which runs from March 1 to October 31 in Florida.

Pennywise is now being treated with strong antibiotics, and although some bone damage near her spinal cord was observed, her neurological exam shows all nerves are functioning properly — a promising sign for her recovery.

Dr. Barron emphasized that boat strikes like the one Pennywise suffered are avoidable, especially during nesting season. Conservationists are urging boaters to reduce speed and remain vigilant within the Sea Turtle Protection Zone, which stretches one mile off the coast.

With continued progress, Pennywise is expected to return to the wild in time to lay her eggs — a hopeful ending to a near-tragic encounter.

Source:https://phys.org/news/2025-05-pound-loggerhead-sea-turtle-boat.html

This is non-financial/medical advice and made using AI so could be wrong