Last week I went on a science trip to the Barrier Islands on the coast of GA. Our group went to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center where they rescue ill and injured sea turtles. We were able to look at a shell of a deceased sea turtle, which was fascinating because we were able to see the spinal cord. That particular turtle was put to sleep because his shell had been so damaged that his spinal cord was also damaged, and he was left paralyzed. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center realized he would not live a happy and productful life, so he was put down. They kept his shell so visitors like myself could see and learn about the turtle.

     Seeing the spine of that turtle reminded me of my trip to Atlantis last year in the Bahamas. While I was there I was able to swim with the dolphins. I also learned that there was a dolphin which had scoliosis that lived in the facility. He was not allowed to participate with the public like the other dolphins. Instead he stayed in the shelter so no further harm could come to his spine. The trainers even did exercises wih him that sounded much like the Schroth exercises that I do. So just like humans, some animals have scoliosis and some animals don’t!