Pair of cold-stunned turtles returned to ocean
Published: Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 4:59 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 4:59 p.m.
The N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher recently became a little less crowded as two previously cold-stunned sea turtles were released into warmer and deeper Atlantic waters than the coastline offers.
The pair were part of a group of eight sea turtles transported from the New England Aquarium in Boston to the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher at the beginning of the year.
When a record-breaking 242 sea turtles washed up on Cape Cod Bay in December, the New England aquarium was overwhelmed.
"These are numbers we have never seen before," said Tony LaCasse of the New England Aquarium on Wednesday. "Our previous record was 126 cold-stunned turtles and our average was 70 per year."
So the New England facility arranged for the sea turtles to be transported to aquariums up and down the East Coast, including Fort Fisher – a facility not typically involved with the care and recovery of sick sea turtles.
Cold-stunned sea turtles are susceptible to animal attacks due to a variety of health issues including decreased circulation and low body temperatures after being stuck in cold waters, according to aquarium officials. Typical temperatures for sea turtles are 71 degrees and above, so when cold fronts unexpectedly come to previously suitable waters, the cold-stunning effect takes place and can often affect large numbers of turtles.
The eight turtles sent to Fort Fisher have been being cared for by the aquarium's staff and periodically checked by veterinarians from N.C. State University.
"Some of the sea turtles had injured eyes, some had respiratory problems, so we gave them antibiotics and kept them in isolated tanks," said Matt Babineau, a Fort Fisher aquarist. "The two released Friday recovered faster than the other ones – they had a healthier appetite and the antibiotics worked faster with them."
The two released Jan. 11 were given a final health assessment before being transported to the Coast Guard Station Fort Macon in Atlantic Beach. After an overnight stay, they were transported offshore to warmer waters and released.
The Coast Guard worked with biologist Matthew Godfrey from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, which oversees the protection and rehabilitation of the threatened species.
"One of the missions of the USCG is protecting marine resources," Godfrey said. "Most people associate that with pollution of the waters, but one of the biggest sectors of that field is working with the release of sea turtles."
The six turtles remaining at Fort Fisher also are expected to make a full recovery.
Juliane Bullard: 343-2023
On Twitter: @StarNewsOnline
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.