Ecoceànica: Los Organos

I've just finished picking out the maggots and changing the bandages for our patient in our house in Los Organos. We have been here almost a week and we have been very busy. One benefit of Los Organos is the fishing pier which juts about 500m into the sea halfway along the long stretch of the beach with makes up Los Organos Bay. Fish are processed here, with the scraps thrown into the sea. This has attracted the interest of turtles and fish which make us of the free and easy meal. In turn torists visit the fishing quay (3 soles) and have the opportunity to swim with the turtles. All well and good the town benefits from the extra tourism and the turtles get a free lunch. There's one major issue however that being a fishing quay it's also frequently visited by boats with seemingly little regard for the turtles. 

This bring us back to 'Jimmy', our patient in our makeshift turtle hospital in our house. Unfortunately Jimmy was hit by what we prosume to be the propeller of a boat which smashed a large hole in his head (see photos). The chairty was called and we rescued him from the fishing quay, unfortunately it seems the flies got to him first. The aim is administer medicine and try our best to keep him alive. After a dose of antibiotics and frequently injecting of saline solution plus daily or twice daily changing of his bandages, Jimmy is still with us after 5 days 🤞

Sadly, I don't think this is an isolated case and the mixuture of boats, turtles plus torists with swimming difficulties make a recipe in terms of the turtle safety. 

Will update on the progress of Jimmy as I go. We think it will take at least a month for any skin to cover the hole.