Aquarium releases nine rehabilitated loggerhead, green, and Kemp’s ridley turtles into ocean waters off Cape Cod

BOSTON, MASS. (July 30, 2024) – After months undergoing rehabilitative care at the New England Aquarium, nine endangered and threatened sea turtles are back in ocean waters off Cape Cod after fully recovering from their life-threatening injuries.

**PHOTOS AVAILABLE HERE, WITH CREDIT TO THE NEW ENGLAND AQUARIUM**

Loggerhead, green, and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are all threatened or endangered species, facing threats including fisheries interactions, climate change, ocean pollution, and degradation of their habitats. Rescue and rehabilitation efforts help to conserve this species.

Aquarium staff, volunteers, and interns have a tradition of naming the turtles receiving long-term care. The turtles released this past week are:

• “Zinnia” (#269, Green) – Stranded on November 29, 2023
• “Birds of Paradise” (#761, Loggerhead) – Stranded on January 6, 2024
• “Shooting Star” (#601, Kemp’s Ridley) – Stranded on December 12, 2023
• “Pansy” (#701, Kemp’s Ridley) – Stranded on December 21, 2023
• “Candytuft” (#129, Kemp’s Ridely) – Stranded on November 20, 2023
• “Poppy” (#468, Kemp’s Ridley) – Stranded on December 10, 2023
• “Sweet Everlasting” (#659, Kemp’s Ridley) – Stranded on December 11, 2023
• “Honeysuckle” (#659, Kemp’s Ridley) – Stranded on December 14, 2023
• “Artichoke” (#748, Loggerhead) – Stranded on January 5, 2024

These turtles spent several months at the Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy, MA, undergoing treatment for hypothermia-related conditions including pneumonia, dehydration, and emaciation, all results of being unable to regulate their body temperature in the cold waters of Cape Cod Bay last fall and winter. After physical examinations, staff veterinarians cleared the sea turtles to return to Nantucket Sound off West Dennis Beach.

Scientists from the Aquarium’s research arm, the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, work with the Animal Care team to tag some of the turtles for post-release monitoring. The tags collect information about the turtles’ behavior, habitat-use, and survivorship which helps inform sea turtle conservation and protection efforts, especially in New England where little is known about these species. This season, the team is using a combination of acoustic and satellite tags for real-time data and long-term tracking; some of the turtles can be followed on the Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Tracker page. This work is permitted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“As we complete our fourth release of the season, it’s a great reminder of why we do this work,” said Linda Lory, Rescue and Rehabilitation Manager at the Aquarium. “Having spent months with these animals, it is the outcome we all hope for – seeing them return to the waters off the Cape.”

During the 2023 cold-stunning season, the Aquarium treated 394 live sea turtles that were rescued from the shores of Cape Cod in November and December by staff and volunteers with Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Getting these turtles back to health requires a collaborative effort between biologists, veterinarians and researchers, all of whom work tirelessly with the turtles during the rehabilitation effort and continues for some, even after their release.

In addition to Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, the Aquarium works closely with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Fisheries Service and the nonprofit organization Turtles Fly Too to save the sea turtles, many of which are transferred to partner organizations across the country to continue rehabilitation to clear up space in the Sea Turtle Hospital to allow for care of additional incoming stranded turtles. There are 11 turtles remaining at the Aquarium’s Quincy facility, in hopes that all will be released off Cape Cod this summer once medically cleared.

MEDIA CONTACT: Hannah Boutiette, 413-717-7759, hannah@teakmedia.com