Gulfarium CARE Center

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Fort Walton Beach, FL
Gulfarium CARE Center

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Our mission is to act as a beacon for coastal conservation through marine animal rescue and rehab. Welcome to Gulfarium's official C.A.R.E. Center page!

It is our mission to act as a beacon for coastal conservation through marine animal rescue and rehabilitation, encouraging awareness with public education and opportunities for active participation. We hope you become inspired to celebrate marine life, share our stories, and join us to help make a difference.

11/03/2026

🌊 : Meet Olivia! 🐢💙

Coming up on two years as a C.A.R.E. Center volunteer, Olivia brings an incredible amount of sea turtle experience to our volunteer team!

Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Olivia is a Licensed Veterinary Technician with a B.S. in Environmental Science and an A.A.S. in Veterinary Technology. Before becoming an LVT, she spent six years working as a Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Specialist at The Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys and also interned at Mote Marine Laboratory’s sea turtle hospital. Today, she works with Auburn University while continuing to stay involved in sea turtle conservation through the C.A.R.E. Center, Alabama’s Share the Beach nesting program, and the Alabama Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network. 🐢🌊

For Olivia, volunteering provides a tangible way to contribute to sea turtle conservation and an opportunity to spend time with fellow “turtle people.” 💙 It’s hard for her to pick just one favorite memory, but some highlights include watching Landry and Kermit’s transformations and releasing Waffles at Topsail. Seeing the progress our patients make and ultimately watching them return to the wild makes all the time and effort worthwhile!

Fun fact: Olivia has had the opportunity to work with 6 of the 7 sea turtle species! She just needs to check the flatback off her list to complete the set. 🐢👀

When she’s not working or volunteering, Olivia enjoys hiking, beachcombing, crafting, thrifting, and seeing just how many plants she can fit into her apartment. 🌿

And if you’re wondering, she may also hold the title for longest volunteer commute, making the trip from Gulf Shores, Alabama! 😄

We’re so grateful for Olivia’s dedication, expertise, and the countless ways she continues to support sea turtle conservation. Here’s to two years and hopefully many more! 💙🐢

10/31/2026

Our volunteers and patients are getting into the Halloween spirit with some pumpkin fun! Wishing everyone a turtley spook-tacular Halloween! 🧡 🎃🐢👻

10/30/2026

🐢🧡 Meet Frankenstein!

This 70-pound subadult loggerhead arrived at the Gulfarium CARE Center on October 16 after being rescued near the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier.

Frankenstein had been spotted in the area for several days and didn’t appear to be doing well. When he was finally rescued, he was found accidentally hooked in the left hind flipper. During intake, our team discovered another hook in his left front flipper, and both were successfully removed.

He also arrived with heavy barnacle coverage, leech eggs on his shell and early signs of debilitation. Frankenstein received fluids, vitamins, antibiotics, iron and a freshwater bath to help remove the leeches.

He may have been lethargic when he first arrived, but once he got settled, his personality quickly showed up. Frankenstein was actively trying to bite just about everyone and everything around him. 😅

He is currently receiving close care in our ICU pool while our team continues monitoring his recovery.

Welcome to the CARE Center, Frankenstein! We’re rooting for this feisty guy. 💚

10/28/2026

Wishlist Wednesday! 🧽🐢

This week, we’re highlighting some of the everyday tools that help keep our turtle patients’ pools clean! Our wishlist currently includes scrub poles, velcro holders, and pads, all of which are used regularly by our team to clean the pools and keep our turtles in a clean environment.

Pool cleaning is part of our daily routine, making these simple supplies an important part of the day-to-day care our turtles receive. We go through them often and always appreciate having the tools we need to keep our pools clean and our patients happy and healthy!

Want to help us stock up? Check out our wishlist and consider purchasing one of these essential supplies for our team! Check out our link in our bio or shop here: https://a.co/060sVcWA

10/26/2026

🐢💙 Medical Monday: Targeting Treatment for Bowser

Our veterinary team is trying a new treatment approach with Bowser called limb perfusion as we continue working to fight an infection in her flipper.

During the procedure, a tourniquet is temporarily applied to Bowser’s flipper before antibiotics are injected directly into the affected area. The tourniquet helps keep the medication concentrated within the flipper for a period of time, allowing the antibiotics to target the infection right where they’re needed most.

It’s another example of the individualized care our patients receive at the Gulfarium CARE Center as our team works to give each sea turtle the best possible chance at recovery. 💚

Keep cheering Bowser on as she continues her treatment!

10/23/2026

💚🐢 Feel Good Friday: A Fresh Start for Plankton!

Plankton has officially been released, but this release came with a little change of scenery!

This loggerhead was admitted to the Gulfarium CARE Center on October 4 after being accidentally hooked at the Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier. Our team successfully removed the hooks during an endoscopy, and after recovering well, Plankton was cleared for release.

But there was one big consideration. Plankton has been a patient at the CARE Center four times since late April, each time after interactions with fishing gear. Because of his repeat visits to our local fishing piers, the decision was made to release him on Florida’s east coast, with the hope that a new location will help keep him away from the piers and out of the CARE Center!

And we’ll get to see where he goes next! Before his release, we partnered with USGS to apply a satellite tag that will allow researchers to track his movements and learn more about where his journey takes him.

We’re wishing Plankton a safe journey and hoping this is one CARE Center patient we don’t see again anytime soon! 💙🌊

10/21/2026

🐢🩺 Happy National Veterinary Technician Week! 🩺🐢

This week, we're shining the spotlight on someone who does a whole lot of work behind the scenes to keep our animals happy and healthy: Our incredible veterinary technician, Olivia! 💙

While you may not always see her in action, Olivia plays a HUGE role in the health and well-being of animals throughout the entire Gulfarium! From collecting and processing blood samples to evaluating cytologies, taking radiographs, and assisting with medical procedures, she truly does it all!

Here at the C.A.R.E. Center, Olivia is an essential part of our patients' rehabilitation journeys, assisting with everything from routine treatments to more complex veterinary procedures. 🐢💉

When asked what she loves about her role, Olivia shared, "I value the opportunity to help marine wildlife in a hands-on way." And that passion shines through in the care and dedication she brings to every patient!

Her days are busy, her responsibilities are endless, and her impact reaches far beyond what guests get to see. So much of what keeps our park and C.A.R.E. Center running smoothly happens behind the scenes, and Olivia is there every step of the day!

Please join us in giving Olivia a well-deserved round of applause for all the hard work, dedication, and compassion she brings to our animals every single day!

10/20/2026

🌊 : Meet Brittney! 🐢

Brittney is a Program Manager and mom of two who believes in contributing to something bigger than herself. Having moved frequently over the years, she’s found that the best way to feel connected to a new place is to jump in with both feet and get involved in the local community. Volunteering with the C.A.R.E. Center has given her the opportunity to do just that while supporting conservation, protecting sea turtles, and working alongside an amazing team. 💙

One of Brittney’s favorite memories was assisting with an endoscopy during a hook removal procedure. Getting to see a sea turtle’s esophagus for the first time was an unforgettable experience and she says our incredible veterinary team and vet techs made the experience even more special! 🐢🩺

Fun fact: Brittney has moved 8 times and lived in 9 different places! With all that moving, she’s learned to stay open to new experiences, new adventures, and new ways to get involved in her community.

We’re so grateful to have Brittney as part of the C.A.R.E. Center family! 💙🐢

10/16/2026

Stop the scroll and relax with Coconut while she enjoys some greens. 🐢💚

This sweet green sea turtle is a former CARE Center patient who was successfully rehabilitated and released back into the Gulf.

10/12/2026

We’re happy to share that the Gulfarium CARE Center fared well through Hurricane Isaias, and all of our sea turtle patients are doing well! 🐢💚

Toad is eating like a champ today! Thank you to everyone who checked in on our turtles and CARE team. We’re grateful to be able to share a good update!

Address

1010 Miracle Strip Parkway SE
Fort Walton Beach, FL
32548

Telephone

850-243-9046

Website

https://gulfarium.com/carecenter/

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