Sea Turtles Currently up for Adoption!

Artemis – Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle

Artemis was caught on a hook by recreational fisherman off St. George Island on February 18th, 2025. The fisherman called us and our team set out to the rescue and we found Artemis a Kemps Ridley Sea Turtle (the most endangered species of sea turtle in the world) who had swallowed a fishing hook while hunting for food!

We are now happy to report that after undergoing surgery by Julie O’Brien our amazing vet, owner of CompassionVet , Artemis has made a full recovery and is swimming around in our lab for you to come meet her until we release her back home.

If you would like to contribute to her care, you can adopt her! Adoption can be completed online and we will email you a certificate. Every donation helps us continue the critical work on these endangered species!

Damon – Loggerhead

Damon was found floating off the coast of Alligator Point near Dog Island Reef on June 7th, 2024. Fishermen saw him floating and called Gulf Specimen to come to his rescue! He was unable to dive below the surface, which means he would be unable to escape predators and hunt for food. Gulf Specimen sent out a team to rescue him with our trusty captain and the help of our AmeriCorps Members. It is no easy feat to get a 200 pound turtle in to a boat, but our team was able to pull it off! After being brought back to Gulf Specimen, Damon was taken for X-rays and blood work. The X-rays showed that he had no impactions or hooks in his body, which means his buoyancy issues are caused by gas trapped under his shell. His blood work showed no signs of infection or parasites. Damon is currently staying at Gulf Specimen until his buoyancy problems are resolved. If you would like to contribute to his care, you can adopt him. Adoption can be completed online and we will email you a certificate. Every donation helps us continue the critical work on these endangered species!