OD was first found in 1999 near Atlantic Beach, North Carolina with a lung infection; potentially from a boat strike. After recovering, he was tagged and released back into the ocean. In 2008, the tagged turtle was found by the dive boat “Ocean Diver” floating near French Reef in the Florida Keys where he was treated at the Florida Keys-based The Turtle Hospital. Due to a collapsed lung, which causes OD to swim at an angle, he was unable to be re-released and needed a permanent home for his long-term care.
Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay offered OD a home inside the 1.3-million-gallon Shipwreck Exhibit, Neptune’s Fury; where he joined two additional green sea turtles and 22 other species including sharks, rays, and fish. OD flew from the Florida Keys to Las Vegas courtesy of FedEx on July 25, 2013. Upon arrival at Shark Reef Aquarium, OD was taken to the dedicated animal quarantine facility, a standard procedure for new animals.
Jack Jewell, Shark Reef Aquarium’s general curator said, “OD’s well-being came first. The quarantine process ensured that he acclimated to his new home. He was under the care of our aquarist and veterinary teams who prepared him for a long future at Shark Reef Aquarium.”
Today, OD lives an enriched life with two other large male green sea turtles: one was a long-term resident of another aquarium who moved to Shark Reef when the aquarium opened in 2000. The smallest sea turtle spent time at Waikiki Aquarium after a U.S. Fish and Wildlife confiscation from someone who attempted to illegally import him from the Marshall Islands at only 6 inches (15.24 cm) in size. Today, the Pacific green sea turtle is over 200 pounds (90kg)! At 1.3 million gallons (4921 kiloliters) of saltwater, the Shipwreck, Shark Reef Aquarium’s largest exhibit, is the perfect permanent home for these three green sea turtles.
Our sea turtle interactive feeding program offers the opportunity to get up close and personal with the gentle giants of Neptune’s Fury, the Shipwreck exhibit. During this exclusive interaction, you will get to feed our 300 pound sea turtles and go above our 1.3 million gallon shipwreck to experience meal time at Shark Reef. You will also get to see some of the other toothy residents of this exhibit
Learn more about our green sea turtles up close during an intimate feeding session above the 1.3 million gallon Shipwreck exhibit.
Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay is among the most prestigious animal facilities in the world and is the first and only Nevada animal care facility accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the Gold Standard of accrediting organizations. More than 2,000 animals are displayed at Shark Reef Aquarium, featuring 100 species, including 15 species of sharks. Open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; last admission at 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit mandalaybay.com, sharkreef.com, call (702) 632-4555
