Poppy the Loggerhead

She is considered non-releasable because of damage caused by a boat strike. Boat propellers can strike a turtle’s shell and cause them to float with their hind end up, hence the term ‘bubble butt.’ Bubble butt turtles are often deemed non-releasable as it interferes with their ability to survive in the wild; they would not be able to dive down and forage for food and they float at the top of the water column, making them susceptible to future boat strikes. She has three lead weights epoxied to her shell that allow her to dive/swim more normally. This is only a temporary fix as the weights will fall off over time as the turtles grow, so it would not be suitable to release sea turtles with weights attached to their shells.