Twenty-year-old Boris, just recently welcomed to the MINT turtle clinic. He’s getting essential care following a scary run-in with some lost or abandoned fishing equipment. At 13 kilograms, Boris is still a bit of a juvenile in the turtle age. His broken flipper was the result of being entangled in fishing line as shown above. Today, he requires rehabilitation that encompasses not just healing medical wounds but providing him a special position in the clinic.
The MINT turtle clinic, whose mission focuses on clinical rescue and rehabilitation of marine life, has turned into a haven for Boris. Latif is getting treated and cared for here. Beyond his cultural importance to the Inuit, he serves a crucial function in the architecture of his underwater world. Boris helps to ensure that the seawater in the tanks stays clean and proper temperature. This goes a long way to provide nutritious and healthy habitat for the other turtles under his care.
Boris’s Role at MINT Clinic
As we’ve documented before, Boris really enjoys lounging on a rock, at the bottom of his tank. There, both staff and visitors alike can see him very easily and watch him decompress. His presence at the clinic serves a dual purpose: while he recovers from his injuries, he contributes to the ecosystem within the facility. Gina Sweeney, one of MINT’s committed caregivers Photo credit MINT She frequently runs Boris all over the tank just to get him into her net for his health exams or treatments.
“It’s a privilege to be able to look after them,” – Gina Sweeney
Gina’s love for Boris expresses the primal connection that often develops between caregivers and their patients. She appreciates the beauty of turtles and their history, stating, “There’s something so majestic and I just love them — prehistoric, gentle, graceful … I’m fascinated.” Her love for the ocean and all its inhabitants fuels her desire to help rehabilitate and care for these animals.
Boris. He’s got a great setup where he makes sure the water is properly circulating and treating turtles with respiratory infections, shell disease, and so much more. The clinic staff recognize that while Boris has his own challenges to face, his presence contributes to a thriving environment that supports healing.
Challenges of Rehabilitation
Despite the work that went into Boris’s care, approaching rehabilitation isn’t without challenges. Just two days after Joni was released back out into the ocean, Boris died unexpectedly. He was one of a half dozen turtles in MINT’s care. This loss has been hard for the staff to process, and understandably so. They pour time, heart and soul into their work.
What I did know was how the often bittersweet nature of this work was articulated by my fellow caregiver at MINT, Tim Downs. “It’s sad, but it’s something you have to accept when you take on the role of a rehabilitator,” he said. His words perfectly capture the emotional rollercoaster ride that is rescuing and rehabilitating marine animals. The champions’ team mentality is to celebrate their victories, not mourn their defeats.
“We think about the ones we can save, rather than the ones we lose,” – Tim Downs
Boris’s death is a cautionary tale about the pernicious culture that can permeate rehabilitation environments. The staff remain committed to their mission despite setbacks. Paul Groves, another key figure at the clinic, emphasized that it is important to focus on those they can help. “They get to a point where they’re so weak they just wash up on the beach and give up on life,” he noted, highlighting the urgency and importance of their work.
Community Support and Conservation Efforts
As you can imagine, community support for their operations is essential to the success of the MINT turtle clinic. Local residents participate in a “cash for cans” container deposit scheme that allows them to collect and donate recyclable materials. Paul Groves highlighted this initiative: “People on the Island collect their cans and bottles and then donate them to us and that pays for the food and the medicine and electricity.” This grassroots support builds a community sense of ownership over local wildlife conservation efforts.
Lily Donnelly, another member of the clinic team, provided perspectives on larger conservation issues affecting marine turtles right now. She remarked on environmental changes affecting turtle reproduction: “The sand is too hot, and their eggs and turtles are getting cooked before they hatch.” This sobering truth further adds to a growing sense of urgency that requires global, collective action in protecting marine habitats.
The bittersweet nature of their work goes past individual turtles such as Boris. Every release back into the ocean is reason to celebrate, but is always tempered with the realization that the fight is far from over. Lily expressed this sentiment well: “It’s bittersweet, but it’s always great to see them go back to their ocean home.”
