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Marine Turtle Newsletter 110:20, © 2005
Demonstration of Blood Collection Video
Throughout the year, as sea turtles enter the Port St Lucie Power Plant canal system, they are removed, weighed, measured and tagged prior to release in the nearby Atlantic Ocean. Approximately 800 to 1000 turtles are removed per year. While most of the turtles caught in this system are green and loggerhead turtles, hawksbills, Kemp’s ridleys and leatherbacks are also trapped and removed. Blood is being collected from these turtles to determine reference baselines for hematocrit (packed cell volumes, PCV) and for plasma biochemicals. Additionally, plasma protein electrophoresis is being performed to determine the following protein fractions: pre-albumin, albumin, alpha globulins, beta globulins, and gammaglobulins. Data for this study can be found at: <http://accstr.ufl.edu/blood_chem.htm>. This site also has a link to a video demonstrating collection of blood from loggerhead and green turtles. This is a multidisciplinary collaboration that includes the College of Veterinary Medicine (University of Florida), the Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research (University of Florida), the St. Lucie Power Plant (Florida Power and Light Corporation), the Marinelife Center of Juno Beach, and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. This research project is funded by the Florida Sea Turtle Grants Program.” Elliott Jacobson <JacobsonE@mail.vetmed.ufl.edu>