7 Endangered, Cold, Stunned Sea Turtles Rescued On Cape Cod

WELLFLEET, MA — Seven endangered sea turtles were rescued on Cape Cod beaches after becoming cold-stunned, officials with Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut said.

All seven turtles were Kemp's ridleys, the most endangered sea turtles in the world. During the fall and winter months, it's common for sea turtles to suffer hypothermia-like symptoms and become cold-stunned as water temperatures decrease.

The turtles were found cold-stunned by volunteers of the Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary between December 7 and 14. Later, they were transferred to the National Marine Life Center in Bourne to be stabilized.

Most of the rescued turtles end up at the New England Aquarium's sea turtle hospital in Quincy But Mystic Aquarium opened up a rescue program last month, and with the abundance of cold-stunned turtles on Cape Cod this season, Mystic Aquarium was able to help.

"While you never want to see animals in distress, we are so grateful to have the opportunity to lend a hand in the rehabilitation of these sea turtles," said Allison Tuttle, the vice president of Zoological Operations at Mystic Aquarium. "While all species of sea turtles are of conservation concern, the Kemp's ridley sea turtles are critically endangered, making rescue and rehabilitation of each individual vital to the species’ survival. This group of turtles will receive the critical care they need so we can get them back into the open ocean."

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries recently reported that of the more than 500 cold-stunned sea turtles found so far this year, the vast majority are the critically endangered Kemp’s ridley. Kemp’s ridley turtles, named after Richard M. Kemp, a fisherman from Key West, Florida, who first submitted the species for identification in 1906, are the smallest marine turtle in the world.