Gumbo Limbo - Sea Turtle Rescue and Nature Center in Boca Raton Florida, USA

Hello everyone! So a few months ago we went on a week-long vacation to Florida, the southernmost state in the eastern United States, which I have earlier blogged - including the road trip to Disneyworld, yes that “happiest place on earth” - and a day trip to bustling Miami Here. Well, there is another exciting day in that excursion, which I’d like to share today, better late than never, right?

We visited Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton, less than an hour north of Fort Lauderdale, our home base. Inside the oceanfront Reef Park, Gumbo Limbo lies amid tall evergreens and is home to a sea turtle sanctuary. It rehabilitates injured sea turtles and nurtures them to health until they are ready to be released back into the ocean. They even invite the public to witness these turtle-release events. The other turtles that cannot be rehabilitated become permanent residents in the Center, and most probably stay there forever.

Sea Turtle Sanctuary

See the building in the back of this red-trunk tree? That’s the one that houses the injured turtles, in giant aquariums. This tree, by the way, is called a gumbo limbo, after which the Center got its peculiar name. Big, beautiful, and hardy, it is native to southern Florida.

In front of the Gumbo Limbo building lies life-size replicas of sea turtles. They look very real. And talk about humongous! So going inside the facility, we encountered one of the big aquariums that holds the sea turtles in rehab. Look at this poor turtle on a sling.

Here’s a close-up of the same turtle from a window of the aquarium. We wanted to know the specifics of its injury, but the attendant was busy with other guests. So we moved on.

We saw pictures of other turtle residents that are being nursed at this facility, though not in these aquariums. Here are pictures and details about their treatment by their attending vet.

This is “Denali’, a green sea turtle whose front flipper was amputated, possibly by a predator; Waiting for surgery to remove a tumor. it is currently administered antibiotics, fluids, and vitamins

“Krka” is a loggerhead turtle currently with pneumonia and is being tube fed

In another huge aquarium brimming with fish, we met Morgan, a permanent resident in the facility. Morgan has a metal affixed to its shell to help it move underwater. Injured from a boat collision, it “paralyzed its back flippers causing buoyancy” problems. So without the metal on its back, Morgan will just float, unable to foray for its food.

We were expecting to see some action on an actual rehab process on the turtles but were only allowed to peak through this window, from which we can see some instruments, charts, medicine cabinets, and a person in charge.

Of the many sea turtles rescued this year, and for the past 12 years, it looks like hatchlings have outnumbered the adult, sub-adult or juvenile turtles treated in the Center. From 2010 to 2021, 4686 hatchlings, 727 juveniles, 104 sub-adults, and 30 adults were rescued.

Nature Center

Adjacent to the sea turtle rescue area, there was a trail that ran through the ‘forest’ of the Reef Park. We took the trail and walked and breathed among the trees.

We passed through red mangroves.

We walked by strangler figs.

Walking among these trees is time well spent indeed!!!

And the trail led us to the seashore. Salty air!

Gumbo Limbo also boasts a butterfly garden. We caught a yellow one fluttering among the red flowers.

Boca Raton Drawbridge

A tiny footnote: we took the coastal road going to Boca Raton and along the way, we were stopped at a drawbridge - our first time to witness firsthand - the bridge split and lift up as it made way for a boat to pass under. We were at a standstill in the car for a good 10 minutes, so for want of something to do, I just filmed the whole scenario. Check it out. Here it is for you to view.

And that was our fun day out with the turtles and the evergreens - nature at its best. Thanks for reading!!