Cold-stunned turtles arrive on the Coast
Thirty-five new Gulf Coast residents arrived this afternoon at the Gulfport airport.
The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies and the Mississippi Aquarium have come to the rescue once again, taking in over 30 cold-stunned Kemps Ridley sea turtles and administering the necessary medical treatment to get these turtles back in warm waters.
After being stranded in the frigid waters of the northeast, 35 Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles were flown to Gulfport from Massachusetts to receive medical treatment.
This is the second year in a row that both IMMS and the Mississippi Aquarium have been able to treat cold-stunned turtles. The aquarium took in 10 more turtles in addition to the 42 they received earlier this month. Mississippi Aquarium Vice President of Veterinary Services Dr. Alexa Delaune said, “We’re so happy to be able to help our colleagues up in the Northeast. My associate vet and I have long term relationships with a lot of the people up there. Our former technician went up there to work, so we’re really happy to help them. And we’re even happier to help sea turtles.”
IMMS is treating 25 sea turtles with the help of Mississippi State’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Each student is assigned a turtle that they stay with throughout the initial medical exams, including measurements, X-rays, blood tests, and an eye exam. MSU Assistant Clinical Professor/ Veterinary Ophthalmologist Dr. Caroline Betbeze said, “There have been a few reports on cold-stunned turtles and their ocular problems and up to 47% of cold-stunned turtles can have ocular lesions. Anything from like corneal ulcerations to inflammation within the eye.”
In addition to helping save the most endangered species of sea turtle, IMMS is training the next generation of veterinary professionals. “It has been a really great thing for us and our students. We have so many students that are learning so much about aquatic animals all because of IMMS.”
The turtles are expected to be released back into the Gulf of Mexico in the spring. However, the exact timetable of their return to their natural habitat is dependent on how well rehabilitation goes and the water temperatures.
