Sea Turtle Rescued From Fishing Line Needs Surgery

Meatloaf is a 240-pound green sea turtle as wide as a manhole cover. In January, volunteers found her tangled in fishing line and rope in the San Gabriel River. She was rescued and brought to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California.

The fishing gear badly hurt Meatloaf's front flipper by cutting off blood flow. Dr. Lance Adams, the head vet, says the team has done several surgeries to try to save her flipper. Her flipper is now twice its normal size because of fluid buildup that needs more surgery.

Meatloaf is one of many sea animals hurt by abandoned fishing gear this year. Eight seals were rescued in Rhode Island after getting caught in fishing nets. A rare Kemp's ridley sea turtle was found in Florida with a fishing hook in its throat. This gear, called "ghost traps," can drag marine animals underwater and drown them.

The aquarium needs $50,000 to pay for Meatloaf's ongoing care and surgery. They plan to keep her for at least six more months while her wounds heal. The aquarium is one of only two places in Southern California that can care for hurt sea turtles. They recently released another rescued turtle named Porkchop back into the wild, and they hope Meatloaf will follow the same path to recovery.