A loggerhead sea turtle named Sophia arrived at Brevard Zoo with a grim problem. The 114-pound turtle had more than 20 fishing hooks lodged in her digestive tract, along with fishing line.

The veterinary team at the East Coast Zoological Foundation’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center at Brevard Zoo removed two hooks, but most of the fishing gear was too difficult to access.

That case prompted a donation from Orlando Health Regional Medical Center Endoscopy Unit, which has given the rehabilitation center advanced endoscopy equipment and instruments to help veterinarians remove foreign objects in animals with unusual anatomies, including sea turtles.

“We’re honored to collaborate with Brevard Zoo’s veterinary team by providing this specialized equipment,” Dr. George Christophi, gastroenterologist at Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital, said in a statement. “By sharing our expertise, we can help support the veterinary team at Brevard Zoo to ensure the sea turtles in need continue to receive the most accurate, effective surgical care and improve their chances of recovery.”

According to a press release from Orlando Health, the collaboration also creates opportunities for the zoo’s board-certified veterinarians and Orlando Health physicians to work together on gastroenterology procedures.

“This equipment expands our ability to care for patients with more severe fishing line and hook ingestion,” said Dr. Rachel Turner, DVM, Dipl. ACZM, director of veterinary programs at Brevard Zoo. “In addition to the technology itself, this is an invaluable opportunity for collaboration and education between our two teams. This partnership enhances our ability to provide advanced care for sea turtles and strengthens the future of marine animal medicine in our region.”

Sophia will be the first patient to benefit from the new tools. With Dr. Christophi’s technical expertise, the team will attempt to remove more of the hooks and potentially cut or remove the wire still lodged in her body. Physicians including Dr. Christophi will consult on the procedure.

“Certainly, I had to catch up on my turtle anatomy to consult with our partners here at the zoo,” Dr. Christophi said in a video interview, chuckling. “The challenge here is that they’re in a shell, so some of their gastrointestinal tract is inaccessible. Going from the foodpipe — the esophagus — into the stomach, there’s a sharp turn, so having this equipment we use in humans … might allow us to be able to get to the right place and remove any hooks or foreign objects we might see in a turtle.”

The center treats hundreds of sick and injured sea turtles every year, with an increasing number hurt by boat strikes and improperly discarded fishing gear. The goal for Sophia, like any sea turtle cared for at the rehabilitation center, is to return her to the ocean.

“As gastroenterologists, we use this technology every day to perform minimally invasive procedures that improve patient outcomes,” Dr. Christophi said. “Being able to help sea turtle patients is incredibly rewarding. This collaboration demonstrates how medical innovation and teamwork can extend beyond human healthcare to benefit the broader community.”

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