FORT FISHER, N.C. — After months of undergoing rehabilitative care, 31 critically endangered sea turtles are now back in the Atlantic Ocean.
Biologists from the New England Aquarium drove the 25 Kemp’s ridley sea turtles from the aquarium’s sea turtle hospital in Quincy and other Kemp’s ridleys from the New York Marine Rescue Center in Riverhead, New York, down to Fort Fisher, where they were released Monday as a small crowd of bystanders looked on from the beach.
The turtles spent four to five months undergoing treatment for conditions that include pneumonia and dehydration after becoming cold-stunned in November and December; the aquarium’s turtles stranded on Cape Cod beaches and NYMRC’s turtles stranded on Long Island.
After veterinarians recently cleared the sea turtles for their return to the ocean, the aquarium organized a ground transport to North Carolina where the waters are now warm enough for the animals to reacclimate.
“It is always incredible to watch these turtles become healthy again after being cold-stunned,” said Sammi Chaves, a New England Aquarium rescue biologist who led the transport. “The progress they make from when they first arrive at the New England Aquarium all the way to when they are released on the beach is amazing and really proves how resilient these animals are.”
During ground transports, the vehicle temperature is set to match the water temperature at the release location and monitored throughout the trip. The turtles also receive fluids to better prepare them for a return to the ocean.
The group of rehabilitated turtles from the aquarium included Pegasus, known among staffers for its graceful swimming, and Linus, a small turtle with a big appetite. Aquarium staff, volunteers and interns have a tradition of naming the turtles receiving months-long care. This year’s theme was Greek mythology, with Medusa, Apollo and Echo also among the group of released turtles.
Another notable turtle, Violet – who was stranded in 2023, underwent rehabilitative care at the aquarium and was released in August but became stranded again in November.
Violet seemed strong despite needing treatment for wounds on her face, and aquarium staff released her again Monday with an acoustic tag affixed to her shell that will provide essential location data to better understand Kemp’s ridley migration patterns and habitat use.
“With sea turtle strandings on the rise over the past decade, our rescue, rehabilitation and research efforts are more important than ever,” said Adam Kennedy, the aquarium’s director of rescue and rehabilitation. “We have much to learn about these animals, especially the critically endangered Kemp’s ridley, if we are to ensure a viable future for them.”
During this past cold-stunning season, which began in November and continued into January, more than 500 live turtles came through the aquarium’s doors. Rapidly changing ocean temperature and wind patterns cause many turtles to become hypothermic and strand on the shores of Cape Cod Bay.
Staff and volunteers from Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary walk the beaches and rescue the animals, transporting them to the aquarium’s sea turtle hospital to be triaged and rehabilitated.
Rescued sea turtles may require weeks or months of care depending on the severity of their illnesses and injuries. The remaining 42 turtles at the aquarium facility will be released off Cape Cod this summer once the waters of Nantucket Sound have warmed.