In total, nine Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, one green sea turtle, and one loggerhead sea turtle (see video) [were] released by [the aforementioned rehabilitation partners].
The sea turtles – all juveniles – were found cold-stunned during the period from October through December of 2006, and were rescued by volunteers from the Massachusetts Audubon Society Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.
Late each fall, many juvenile sea turtles feeding in Cape Cod Bay fail to migrate south. Since the turtles are cold-blooded, their bodies assume the temperature of the water around them and they eventually become hypothermic. Some die at sea while others drift to shore. Volunteers from the Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary rescue the turtles along the beach and transport them to rehabilitation centers. There the turtles are slowly warmed and treated for complications of hypothermia, including pneumonia and bone and joint problems. Sea turtle stranding season lasts from late October through December.
Other interesting points:
-after treatment and a rehabilitation period, satellite tags were attached to two of the 11 turtles released today. The tags are attached to the outer shell and provide biologists with vital information on their migration patterns, along with other important data.
-Kemp’s ridleys sea turtles are the world’s most endangered sea turtles, with only a few thousand breeding females known to exist in the wild.
-adult loggerheads weigh about 250lbs, juveniles weigh about 100lbs (see video), and they can reach about 3 feet in length.
-adult green sea turtles can weigh up to 350lbs
|
Set as homepage 
|
Add to favorites 
| RSS/Atom | Sitemap | Contact us
