M.D.M.R. & I.M.M.S. Partner to Save Turtles in Northeast

Many species of birds head south for the winter to enjoy the Coast’s warmer weather, but now it seems turtles can also be added to that list. Thirty two Kemp’s Ridley Turtles, an endangered species, were in crisis due to cold weather in the northeast, and were flown south to recover. Due to the unusually cold temperatures in the New England area recently, the sea turtles there developed hypothermia, referred to as cold-stunning.

Cold-stunning causes a variety of internal and external effects and they can become so lethargic, they simply float on the surface of the water, where they can be struck by boats or wash ashore. These turtles were brought to Gulfport, where they are being thoroughly examined, fed, warmed, and cared for until they are strong enough to return to the wild and hunt independently, which could take two to eight months. Dr. Moby Solangi tells News 25 why it’s so important to help these beautiful sea creatures.

Dr. Solangi says, “A hatchling has a one in ten thousand chance of becoming an adult, so every adult that we save of this long lived species is extremely important for the recovery of the species in the wild.”

This species is the most endangered sea turtle in the world, and Dr. Solangi and his staff are glad that the Gulf Coast could share in their recovery