North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island released last month seven sea turtles that have been under long-term care, and plans to recognize the endangered reptiles June 16 during World Sea Turtle Day.
The aquarium’s Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation Center, or STAR Center, spent the last five months treating the sea turtles that suffered from conditions related to cold-stunning, including kidney failure, frostbite, an eye injury, low weight, barnacles and swelling.
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Aquarium staff released the rehabilitated patients May 7 offshore into the warmer waters of the Gulf Stream and May 23 into the Croatan Sound. One sea turtle remains under the center’s care.
The aquarium announced Friday that releasing the turtles concluded the “record-breaking cold-stun season” and the special activities scheduled for both World Sea Turtle Day and the STAR Center’s 11th anniversary. Sea turtle-themed programming, crafts, and talks with sea turtle experts and rescuers are planned for June 16. For more information or to reserve an admission ticket, visit the aquarium’s website.
From December 2024 through March, the aquarium took in nearly 800 cold-stunned sea turtles. Cold-stunning happens when the reptiles are exposed to low water temperatures and become stranded in a hypothermia-like state.
The six species of sea turtles found in U.S. waters are green, kemp’s ridley, loggerhead, hawksbill and olive ridleys, all protected under the Endangered Species Act, per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
This winter the facility cared for greens, Kemp’s ridleys and loggerheads, which cannot be housed together, the aquarium states in a release. While the sea turtles were slowly warmed upas part of the rehabilitation process, the animals were housed in public areas, multiple exhibits and outdoor bathrooms. A few sea turtles exceeded 200 pounds.
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After transferring some sea turtles to other facilities, the aquarium said it has rehabilitated and released more than 600 cold-stunned sea turtles since December 2024.
The stranded, cold-stunned sea turtles were rescued and brought to the aquarium to for care by multiple teams across the Outer Banks, including volunteers from the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles, or NEST.
“Thanks to the incredible teamwork of every organization and agency involved, turtles were rescued, healed, and returned to the wild. We’re fortunate to be supported by N.E.S.T., Cape Hatteras National Seashore, the Wildlife Resources Commission, the U.S. Coast Guard, and local charter captains, so we can share these amazing conservation stories,” said Christian Legner, aquarium associate director and husbandry and operations director, in a statement.
Leslie Vegas, the aquarium’s husbandry curator said she couldn’t emphasize enough how proud she is to work with everyone at Roanoke Island aquarium.
“I want to give a special acknowledgement to the animal care staff that came together beautifully to assist. I am so grateful to all staff, volunteers, and partners for helping us with this event. We couldn’t have made such a broad impact on conservation, education, and rehabilitation without all these pieces coming together,” she added in a statement.
