How Honey Is Helping Zookeepers Treat Injured Sea Turtles

Turtles at a Florida zoo are recovering from injuries with the help of some sweet treatment. 

The Brevard Zoo takes in turtles that have been harmed and applies honey to their injuries.

"We regularly take in turtles that have been struck by boats or propellers or attacked by predators, which can lead to some pretty serious injuries," said Melanie Stadler, the zoo's sea turtle program coordinator. "Honey has remarkable antibacterial properties that, when applied topically, help their wounds heal with a much lower risk of infection."

At present, the zoo is treating four turtles with honey.

They pack the honey inside the wounds just like you would any other medication, a zookeeper explained.

The raw honey and honeycomb is harvested from the zoo’s onsite beehives maintained by Brevard Backyard Beekeepers, Inc. 

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