JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. – Following months of treatment and care, the Connecticut-based Mystic Aquarium released 22 sea turtles back to the ocean in Jekyll Island, Georgia, on Wednesday.
This marked the largest number of turtles the organization’s Animal Rescue Program has released at one time, according to a release. The group of released turtles consisted of three species: 14 green sea turtles, six loggerhead sea turtles, and two Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, a critically endangered species.
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According to Mystic Aquarium, the turtles were found cold-stunned and washed up on the beach in Cape Cod. After being assessed by the New England Aquarium, they were rehabilitated by the team at Mystic Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Program over the last few months. Each turtle received individualized treatment plans to address infections and other medical issues resulting from their exposure to the cold and hypothermia.
Due to the favorably warm water temperature off the Jekyll Island coast, the turtles traveled in temperature-controlled vehicles from Connecticut to Georgia, the release said. Their release was supported by Mystic Transportation, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center, and National Aquarium.
Since 1975, the Animal Rescue Program at Mystic Aquarium has been rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing sick, injured, and stranded marine animals, including sea turtles. As these turtles migrate north, they often become trapped in Cape Cod Bay, unable to return to warmer temperatures down south, the release stated. This phenomenon, known as cold-stunning, tends to occur annually in the fall when water and air temperatures drop.
The released turtles were tagged for future research and education. Having recovered from the cold-stunning event and been given a second chance at life, the Mystic Aquarium Animal Rescue Program’s efforts significantly improved the turtles’ chances of long-term survival.
The program said wild sea turtles face threats such as entanglement, ingestion of plastic debris, habitat loss, and a changing ocean environment. Every sea turtle saved also creates the potential for hundreds — even thousands — of future hatchlings, contributing to the resiliency of the species and the long-term health of marine ecosystems globally.
For more information about Mystic Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Program, click here.
This uplifting news aligns perfectly with News4JAX’s Passion 4 Pets initiative, which focuses on covering stories about rescued animals, adoptions, and success stories. To learn more about Passion 4 Pets, click here.