Doctor removes tumour from hawksbill sea turtle

Mumbai: A 35-year-old hawksbill sea turtle from Taraporewala Aquarium has been operated for a tumour, equal to the size of a tennis ball, above his left eye. The turtle is recuperating, but he is being monitored for the regrowth of the tumour, and has been kept in isolation.

Dr. Dinesh Vinherkar, who performed the surgery at a clinic in Ghatkopar on January 12, said the turtle was diagnosed with the forehead tumour in 2017. He is now waiting for the cavity, which has developed after removal of the tumour, to heal.

“Most of the cavity has healed, but the turtle will continue to be under observation till he is completely fit. We cleanse the cavity once every day,” Dr. Vinherkar, who is also a wildlife consultant for Dahanu forest division, said.

This is a first such case in India. “I had never come across such a tumour of a turtle,” the veterinarian said.

The turtle was operated under anaesthesia by Dr. Vinherkar and oncologist Dr. Pradeep Chaudhary, faculty member at comparative oncology programme and small animal imaging facility, Tata Memorial Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Kharghar. A sea turtle ambulance, a vehicle fitted with a turtle tank, from Dahanu was called to ferry the turtle from Taraporewala Aquarium and back.

“Fortunately, the turtle did not develop any complication on the operation table. The surgery was carried out of water but we used a specialised cloth to keep his body moist. The turtle was put back in shallow water two days after the operation,” Dr. Vinherkar said.

The tests conducted at a laboratory in Panvel confirmed that the tumour was a fibroma (a benign growth).

In 2015 and 2016, the turtle suffered from floating syndrome - where the turtle cannot dive and instead remains on the surface - but recovered. Hawksbill sea turtles are named after their narrow, pointed beaks. They are endangered species. This turtle has been on display at Taraporewala Aquarium for the last 25 years.