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Marine Turtle Newsletter 21:5, © 1982

Resuscitation of a Leatherback Turtle

C. Robert Shoop
Department of Zoology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, R.I. 02881, U.S.A.

On 6 October 1981, in Rhode Island, a leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) in apparent respiratory collapse after having been caught in a large fish trap (pound net) and then transported to shore was revived following electrical stimulation of the pectoral region. The electrodes were driven into the pectoral musculature and attached with "jumper cables" to an automobile spark plug wire (engine running) and grounded on the automobile. The animal recovered and was tagged, marked with orange paint, and released. Details of the event are available.