GALVESTON, Texas – Marine biologists have flown dozens of endangered sea turtles from Cape Cod to Galveston for treatment for hypothermia.
The 50 Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, a critically endangered species, were shocked by recent cold temperatures in the waters off New England, the Galveston County Daily News has reported.
The group arrived Friday at the Galveston Sea Turtle Facility operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. There, program manager Ben Higgins says the turtles will be lowly warmed to a safe temperature and treated for infections, frostbite and other health problems.
Cold-stunned turtles don’t drown, but they do stop moving and eating. Eventually, they’re washed ashore where they often die.
Since mid-November, more than 600 sea turtles have been rescued after washing up on the beach at the north end of Cape Cod, said The New England Aquarium in Boston spokesman Tony LaCasse.
Higgins said the increase in the number of turtles coming ashore has overwhelmed New England treatment facilties.
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