Officials at the Audubon Nature Institute say a turtle with air trapped inside of him is set to have surgery.
"The giant turtle was found over the summer near Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in Grand Chenier," according to a news release. "He was floating upside down in the water and severely dehydrated."
The Audubon Coastal Wildlife Network team says "Francois" he has been receiving treatment at the Audubon Aquatic Center.
Audubon Nature Institute
"CT scans showed that Francois has large pockets of air trapped in his body cavity."
Veterinarians says the air pockets are causing Francois to remain buoyant in the water and not allowing him to dive down below the surface.
"Currently, Francois weighs a little over 200 pounds and is gaining weight under Audubon’s care. Although nearly full grown in size, Francois ...is still considered slightly underweight for his size."
Loggerhead sea turtles can weigh up to 350 pounds and live more than 70 years.
"His care team says he especially enjoys meals of squid, smelt, and shrimp. "
Audubon Nature Institute
To help endangered animals like Francois you can visit:
https://audubontransactions.org/donations/donate-cwn.html
