The North Carolina Aquariums teamed up with U.S. Coast Guard stations Hatteras Inlet and Fort Macon to release 81 rehabilitated cold-stunned sea turtles.
Station Hatteras Inlet released 22 rehabilitated sea turtles from the Sea Turtle Assistance & Rehabilitation, or STAR, Center at the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island Jan. 30. These small, juvenile Kemp’s ridley and green species were released in waters by the Coast Guard station.
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The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Richard Snyder Feb. 12 released 59 turtles as part of their cruise from Station Fort Macon. The healthy turtles were transported to Station Fort Macon by volunteers from the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles, or N.E.S.T., and the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center as well as biologists from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.
The 59 rehabilitated turtles from both the N.C. Aquariums and Karen Beasley center included loggerhead, green, and Kemp’s ridley, the state’s most common species.
Most of these turtles were brought to rehabilitation centers because of cold-stunning, which occurs when the water temperature drops quickly before the turtles can migrate to warmer water. This condition primarily affects juveniles of the species.
At this time, the state aquarium system is caring for 62 cold-stunned patients with 41 at the STAR Center, 15 at the Pine Knoll Shores aquarium and six at the Fort Fisher facility.
If you find a stranded sea turtle in North Carolina, which happen throughout the year, call 252-241-7367 or your local stranding response team.
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