Each winter, hundreds of endangered sea turtles end up on East Coast beaches when the ocean gets colder. Many of them are so severely affected that they risk freezing to death and need urgent medical help.
Regrettably, some turtles do not survive this ordeal.
However, two organizations are joining forces to rescue these creatures in time. Late in the fall, Greater Good Charities, a global nonprofit, will collaborate with the New England Aquarium to rehabilitate stranded sea turtles along the Cape Cod coast.
“It was frigid and windy. I just can’t fathom how a turtle survives in that kind of water,” remarked Dr. Bryna Donnelly, executive vice president of Greater Good Charities.
“That’s why our volunteers must walk the beach twice daily, sometimes during every tide, to collect them and bring them to the New England Aquarium for initial recovery steps.”
Once the turtles arrive, they are gradually warmed over a three-day period.
This warming process is followed by a series of assessments, including physical exams, x-rays, respiratory evaluations, wound care, and a swim test.
“They weren’t in great shape when they arrived,” Adam Kennedy, the director of rescue and rehabilitation at the New England Aquarium, noted. “They look emaciated. Honestly, some look dead.”
The turtles in the most critical condition are hospitalized for longer periods at the Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy, Massachusetts, receiving specialized care for chronic issues.
Meanwhile, more stable turtles are moved to partner facilities for continued rehabilitation, often facilitated by emergency flights organized by Greater Good Charities to various centers nationwide.
“We wish we could bring every turtle here and care for them until they’re ready for release, but, honestly, we just don’t have enough space,” Kennedy explained.
In collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service, the team has identified facilities across the country to help with the cold-stunned turtles. This season, over 15 secondary rehabilitation facilities have stepped in to assist these animals.
This year alone, the New England Aquarium treated over 470 sea turtles, with about 350 transported by Greater Good Charities and other organizations to various rehab centers in the Southeast and on the East Coast.
As it stands, 60 turtles are still at the hospital for long-term care.
“It truly takes a community effort,” Dr. Donnelly stated. “None of this would be feasible without the support of these incredible organizations.”
NOAA explains that cold stunning occurs when sea turtles become weak and inactive due to exposure to low temperatures, leading many to become lethargic and float to the water’s surface.
This season, often referred to as “stranding season,” typically spans from November through early January when ocean temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Prolonged exposure to such cold can lead to additional health complications or even fatalities.
Such occurrences have been noted for decades in regions like Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts, Long Island Sound, New York, and Pamlico Sound, North Carolina, especially during harsh weather.
The “stranding season” for Cape Cod concluded on December 21, after a week without any live turtles being found.
Kennedy mentioned to FOX Weather that due to the warming Gulf of Maine, the aquarium is observing an increasing number of turtles arriving in Cape Cod Bay each year. Projections suggest nearly 1,000 turtles may experience cold shock by 2030.
“The turtles try to move south, but when the cold waters arrive, they can’t. The geography of Massachusetts makes it tricky; their limbs are angled in a way that makes it counterintuitive to go north and east around the cape,” Kennedy noted.
Realizing that the cold-stunning issue can’t be prevented, Kennedy and Dr. Donnelly have committed to leveraging the resources of Greater Good Charities and the New England Aquarium to maximize their efforts in saving these turtles.
“Considering what these animals have gone through, they should be dead. They should be found washed up on a beach. Surviving that ordeal shows just how remarkable they truly are,” Kennedy added.
