Six Critically Endangered Sea Turtles Find Temporary New Home at Mystical Aquarium – NBC Connecticut

Six critically endangered sea turtles have found a new temporary home at the Mystic Aquarium while they receive life-saving care.

As part of the aquarium’s animal rescue program, vets are currently treating the turtles after they were found stranded on a Massachusetts shore.

“Although the situation is unfortunate, I am grateful to have a team ready to rescue these critically endangered animals and care for them to regain their full health,” said Sarah Callan, program manager. animal rescue, in a press release.

“The rehabilitation of these six turtles contributes to the conservation and survival of the Kemp’s Ridley Turtle, and I look forward to the day when they will regain their strength and return to the high seas,” Callan added.

Critically Endangered Turtles have been found to be “cold-stunned,” also referred to as hypothermia. Hypothermia in sea turtles occurs when the body temperature of turtles is exposed to severe cold before or during their migration to the sea.

Turtles stunned by the cold can experience loss of direction, frostbite, malnutrition, dehydration, infection or even death, depending on the aquarium.

Once knocked out by the cold, authorities said the animals needed rescue, gradual warming, veterinary care and rehabilitation to recover.

The aquarium said its goal is to get the turtles back into the ocean once they have recovered.

This is the second consecutive winter of the aquarium’s program to save a group of sick sea turtles. Authorities said it was rare to see more than one distressed sea turtle at a time.

For more information on the Mystical Aquarium Animal Rescue Program, click here.