New Details Emerge On Huge Turtle Found Dead On North Fork Beach

PECONIC, NY — A huge leatherback turtle found dead on a Peconic beach Friday was the second discovered on the North Fork this year, officials said.

According to Rachel Bosworth of the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, which responded to the stranding, the male leatherback sea turtle found at Goldsmith Inlet was 4.5' in length.

The AMCS team was slated to discuss a necropsy and disposal plan with Southold Town Saturday.

"Until a necropsy examination is completed, we cannot say what the cause of death for the turtle was," Bosworth said. "It looks like it has been deceased for some time, and the entanglement could have happened after the animal died and was floating in the water. However, entanglement certainly could have been a factor in the animal’s death, it is just difficult to confirm at this time."

Leatherback sea turtles, she added, are an endangered species found in area waters. "This is the seventh leatherback sea turtle AMCS has responded to this year," Bosworth said. "On Nov. 21 another deceased leatherback sea turtle was found at Breakwater Beach. We’re still working with the town on that necropsy and disposal plan, as well."

When sea turtles are spotted in local waters, Bosworth said, it is important to report sightings, as doing so can help marine biologists learn more about their behavior and movements — and in some cases put an alert out to the public to be aware of the animals.

Individuals should report sightings to sightings@amseas.org, Bosworth said.

In addition, Bosworth said, another beach walker found a deceased cold stunned sea turtle at Goldsmith Inlet yesterday as well.

"This is the season and walking the beach is great way to find these animals, just as the leatherback was found," she said.

Whether a sea turtle appears to be alive or deceased, the public should make a report immediately by calling the NYS Stranding Hotline at 631-369-9829, Bosworth said.

"Sometimes the sea turtles appear to be deceased because cold stunning can paralyze them," she said.

The endangered turtle was found washed up dead on a beach in Peconic Friday, initially believed to have been strangled by a buoy.

According to Karen Testa, director of the Turtle Rescue of the Hamptons in Jamesport, the organization was the first to be called to the scene at Goldsmith Inlet; she later dispatched the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society to respond, as well.

Testa said she had to identify the turtle, which was an adult male leatherback sea turtle, approximately 550 to 1,500 lbs. and categorized as endangered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

When she found the turtle, Testa witnessed a heartbreaking end to the turtle's long life.

"It was strangled to death, with a buoy wrapped around its neck," she said. "While we were all having Thanksgiving dinner with our families, enjoying one another and laughing, this turtle, who was between 50 and 80 years old, was struggling for its life — because some idiot left a buoy floating in the water. Its arms were caught and the buoy was wrapped around."


Patch photo courtesy Karen Testa.