On Monday, April 17, Georgia Aquarium released eight rescued sea turtles off the coast of Jekyll Island, GA.
Earlier this year, Georgia Aquarium welcomed 11 sea turtles (four loggerhead and seven Kemp’s Ridley) to their off-site care facility. These turtles will receive temporary care and housing after being found off the coast of New England suffering from cold-stunning – a condition in which sea turtles become weak and inactive from exposure to cold temperatures. The Aquarium’s teams have been providing exceptional care to these animals so they can be released back into the ocean.
While at Georgia Aquarium’s off-site facility, the 11 sea turtles received uninterrupted care from animal care and vet teams. A few of these turtles received advanced imaging through CAT scans at BluePearl Veterinary Hospitals to help monitor their care. Following health care check-ups, eight of the rescued turtles (six Kemp’s Ridley and two loggerhead) were cleared to be released. The remaining turtles were transferred to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, GA where they will continue to receive care until they are strong enough to be released. Staff from the GSTC assisted aquarists from Georgia Aquarium in releasing the turtles back into the ocean. These teams also provided beachgoers the rare opportunity to see these turtles up close.
See the turtles’ arrival posts here: Instagram, TikTok, Newsroom
An increasing number of sea turtles have become cold-stunned due to exposure to the colder temperatures. Cold-stunning causes turtles to become very weak and inactive, similar to hypothermia. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) actively plans for cold-stunning events months in advance – organizing and deploying resources to look for and assist cold-stunned turtles. Georgia Aquarium is part of this multi-institutional effort alongside other zoos, aquariums, and rescue organizations saving hundreds of turtles each year. Nearly all species of sea turtles are now classified as endangered. Some species including Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles are classified as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Six species are found in U.S. waters, all of which are listed and protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Georgia Aquarium’s dedicated staff helps not only animals at the Aquarium but anywhere by offering temporary housing and care to animals in the wild. Each year, the Aquarium works alongside other zoos and aquariums across the country to help give cold-stunned turtles temporary homes. These operations help to save many turtles and would not be possible without the generous support of organizations like Turtles Fly Too, whose pilots donated their time, planes, and fuel to get these turtles to their temporary homes. Without the intervention of zoos, aquariums, and partners like National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, these turtles could develop secondary health problems or potentially die.
For photos and video assets of the release please see below:
Photo / Video Credit: Georgia Aquarium
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