Mississippi Aquarium release Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles

Mississippi Aquarium team members released three endangered Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles into the Mississippi Sound.

The turtles were cold-stunned and flown to Mississippi last December. Since their arrival, animal care facilities and veterinary teams have been working in concert to return these Kemp’s Ridley turtles back to full health and into the wild.

The release took place on the beach in front of Edgewater Mall.

As the end of the sea turtle rehab season approaches, it’s always great to reintroduce them to their natural habitat. Associate Veterinarian Sean Perry said, “This is kind of getting towards the end of our sea turtle season and we’re dwindling on numbers. So, we only had three today but the great news is that they’re able to go back into the wild and live in the Gulf of Mexico, which is the native range.”

This was also a sentimental moment for sea turtle lovers. One couple traveled six hours to witness the release.