La Jolla aquarium to confirm gender of rescued turtle

  • 2015-11-17
Last year, a juvenile loggerhead sea turtle was found in a canal in New Jersey, and given to La Jolla’s Birch Aquarium, which is now finally set to reveal the creature’s gender.

Executive Director Harry Helling said the gender was determined by a hormone test, which was necessary because the gender of these sea turtles is never clear when they are young. Once their tails grow out, their gender becomes obvious, and the Birch will turn that process into a teaching moment later this week.

The aquarium plans to reveal the gender in a unique way – through the medium of cake. If the filling is blue, the turtle is a boy, whereas if it is pink in will mean a female turtle. The party will take place on the one-year anniversary of the turtle’s arrival at the aquarium. Birch Aquarium is part of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of San Diego.

The “big reveal” is slated for 10:00 am this Thursday, November 19, and should be great fun for everyone, but particularly those with an interest in marine life in San Diego.

Aquarium officials could create a fun, festive banner announcing the gender to hang at the ceremony. Since this is also the first turtle to live at Birch, that too could be noted on any Banners commemorating the day.
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