You may have thought that CT scans are only for humans, but recently St. Thomas Radiology assisted Coral World with the diagnosis of what was wrong with one of its resident green sea turtles.]]>
Dr. Jack Boden of Imperial Animal Hospital was concerned about a rock having caused an intestinal obstruction. Intestinal obstruction by foreign bodies is common in sea turtles. The absence of clinical signs of obstruction and the extended fasting periods in sea turtles means that it is difficult to diagnose the problem early. Palmer stated, “Moving such a large turtle safely is not easy, but we decided we needed an x-ray to detect possible impaction. We did not want the problem to go too far. In the end, the x-ray machine at Imperial proved to be too small to provide adequate images.”
Concerned about Chelonia’s health, General Manager Trudie Prior contacted Dr. George Rosenberg about a CT scan or MRI. Dr. Rosenberg was willing to have St. Thomas Radiology participate. The test had to be performed after hours so it would not interfere with human patient appointments. Coral World staff transported Chelonia to St. Thomas Radiology at the Paragon Medical Building on the evening of August 21, 2008. Dr. Guller and staff from St. Thomas Radiology, stayed late and successfully performed the CT scan on Chelonia. Dr. Guller said, “The team from Coral World was great. Together with the excellent staff of St. Thomas Radiology we were able to perform a CT scan which helped reach a diagnosis. Happily, Chelonia has no problem that a male turtle can’t cure.”
Palmer sent CD’s of the CT scan to a veterinarian on the mainland, Dr. Douglas Mader, who is a turtle expert. The news that came back from Dr. Mader, was surprising, but good. According to Palmer, “It turns out Chelonia had reached sexual maturity and was ready to lay eggs. Because we do not have any sexually mature male turtles among Coral World’s residents, these eggs were not fertilized. Her gravid condition is what caused her picky eating and sluggishness.”]]>
Mondays through Fridays – Enjoy a complimentary duty free shopping presentation, get the scope on the best deals, receive up to $400.00 in free promotions, discounts and/or gifts from many of the stores – it is your veritable “key to the city” for shopping on St. Thomas. Fully guaranteed purchases for up to 30 days. Special V.I.P. shoppers lounge.
After the SHOP TALK presentation peruse the onsite gift shop for unique and environmentally friendly gifts, grab a bite to eat in one of the restaurants. At 1:00 PM, climb aboard a sponsored shuttle to the best shopping locations the island has to offer.
Complimentary re-admission to the park for all guests that book an add-on activity for another day.
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On April 17th, 2009 Coral World, Coki Beach Dive Club, and community volunteers will join in the action for Project AWARE Foundation’s global Dive for Earth Day events. More than 300 collective events will take place in over 100 countries around the world and Coral World and Coki Beach Dive Club will make a local splash for this conservation celebration.
Join Coral World and Coki Beach Dive Club and dive and snorkel volunteers to help clean up Water Bay. The divers and snorkelers will meet at Coki Beach Dive Club at 9AM and all equipment will be provided free of charge as well as bottles of water. All trash collected will be on display at Coral World in the Blue Water Terrace on April 22nd, Earth Day.
Each year, during the week of 22 April, divers and water enthusiasts worldwide make a splash for water conservation in partnership with Project AWARE, a nonprofit organization dedicated to underwater conservation. This year events include shoreline and underwater cleanups, coral reef surveys, AWARE Kids projects, mooring buoy installations and more.
Please contact Peter Jackson at Coki Beach Dive Club to take action for Earth Day this year.
Earth Day began in the United States on 22 April 1970 to raise the status of environmental issues to the global stage. In 2000, Project AWARE began to help dive volunteers put aquatic issues on the Earth Day map. Since that time thousands of divers in 115 countries around the world have helped protect underwater environments and educate local communities each April.
Coki Beach Dive Club, a PADI GOLD PALM RESORT, SDI Center and UNIVERSAL REFERRAL CENTER, offers quality scuba dive courses, guided dive tours for beginners and for certified divers, beach diving, boat diving, and dive classes for kids. Our rates are very reasonable. You can compare them with any other school and see the difference. We are fully committed to the PADI system of Scuba Diving Instruction, which is the industry standard.
Coral World is open from 9AM to 5PM and the ticket booth closes one hour prior to closing and will be closed on Fridays during April. Fun and interactive feeding presentations begin at 9:40AM and continue throughout the day. Admission for locals is $10 for adults and $6 for children ages 3-12. Children under 3 are free.
Project AWARE Foundation is a registered nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving underwater environments through education, advocacy and action. www.projectaware.org. ]]>
Get up close and personal with a South American Sea Lion in out Meet & Greet program. Learn about these fascinating animals while observing their entertaining antics.
During this unique program you not only get a once in a lifetime experience with a South American Sea Lion, you also get to help create your most memorable souvenir.
This gallery of 21 jewel tanks provides intimate and stunning views of hundreds of marine species in their unique habitats. Watch entranced as these marine creatures exhibit behaviors you would have a hard time seeing in the wild.]]>
An eel can survive for forty-eight hours out of water because its skin is full of oil, which keeps the eel moist.
Get your hands wet while you gently handle starfish, pet a sea cucumbers, meet a hermit crab and other touchable sea creatures. An aquarist is on-hand to answer your questions.]]>
Whether you are looking for a spot to tie the knot or a place to celebrate, Coral World Ocean Park is the perfect setting for your special day.
By day, Coral World is a popular ocean park offering close encounters with creatures of the sea. But after hours, Coral World plays host to some of St. Thomas’ most unique celebrations; sunset weddings, receptions and parties of all kinds.
Have a sunset ceremony overlooking the sea, followed by seaside dining in the tropical Blue Water Terrace, or dazzle everyone with an unforgettable dinner in the middle of a giant coral reef aquarium! ]]>
Ceremony Coordination