Courtesy of Mystic Aquarium
HYANNIS – Several recently rehabilitated sea turtles are to be released back into the wild after being cold-stunned and washing up on Cape Cod beaches earlier this year.
The turtles, which received treatment at the New England Aquarium, were sent off to be released in North Carolina due to the warmer climate around Fort Macon State Park.
Several medical conditions such as hypothermia were treated in the turtles, brought on by the rapid cooling of New England Waters.
The turtles were the endangered Kemp’s Ridley species of sea turtles. There aren’t many of them left in the wild compared to other species.
Twenty-five turtles were sent by the New England Aquarium, in addition to nine turtles from National Marine Life Center and the Mystic Aquarium.
Fifteen turtles are still under watch by the aquarium, hopefully to be released later in the summer off Cape Cod.
Almost 600 sea turtles were helped by the biologists at the aquarium’s sea turtle hospital facility in Quincy.
About Maura MacDonald
