WPBN: On Friday, more than twenty sea turtles that had been frozen to death were removed from the frigid seas of Massachusetts and brought to warmer regions in Florida for the purpose of rehabilitation.
After being saved from the icy climate of New England, these turtles, which are especially susceptible to the effects of low weather, were able to find care and refuge in specialized facilities in Florida.
After receiving initial care at the New England Aquarium, the sea turtles were sent to Florida for further rehabilitation. This was done in order to ensure that they receive the best possible care.
The Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton and the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach were the two renowned rehabilitation institutes that received them upon their arrival on Friday. Both of these centers are located in the state of Florida.
Through a partnership with Turtles Fly Too, eight of the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles were transported by air to the Coastal Stewards facility. Twenty more Kemp’s ridleys were also taken to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center for care and treatment.
The Reasons Sea Turtles Are at Risk from Cold
Sea turtles are ectothermic, which means they are unable to control their body temperature internally, in contrast to marine mammals. The turtles become sleepy and lose their ability to swim efficiently when the water temperature falls below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
They are vulnerable to harm, predators, and other hazards in the wild because of their condition.
We call this physiological reaction to cold water “cold-stunning.” The phenomena usually happens in the winter, when turtles are trapped in locations like Cape Cod Bay, when the water gets too cold for them to survive, due to a combination of declining water temperatures and particular wind patterns.
The Function of Florida in Turtle Rehabilitation
Every winter, Florida‘s sea turtle rehabilitation facilities get ready to welcome cold-stunned turtles from colder climates in an effort to counteract this cyclical hazard. These institutions offer the turtles progressive rehabilitation, warm surroundings, and necessary medical attention to help them recover. The turtles are returned to the wild to complete their life cycles after they have fully recovered.
The rescue this year is not an isolated event. In actuality, many sea turtles are impacted by cold-stunning occurrences that happen every year. 52 Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, a critically endangered species, were cold-stunned and then moved to facilities in Florida last year alone.
Together, groups like Turtles Fly Too, the New England Aquarium, and Florida’s sea turtle hospitals are making great progress in preserving these endangered marine animals.
Their initiatives serve as a reminder of the value of conservation and the cooperation required to protect threatened species, such as the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle.
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