The Virginian-Pilot
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Dozens of lethargic sea turtles have found temporary new homes in the past week in Virginia and North Carolina aquariums after being rescued from frigid conditions that stunned the endangered animals.
"This little cold snap has really affected a lot of animals," said Mark Swingle, director of research and conservation at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach.
Cold weather stuns some turtles every year, Swingle said, but the number of turtles this year is "a little unusual."
On Friday, 11 turtles had become new temporary residents of the Virginia Aquarium. Among them are three turtle species: Kemp's ridleys, greens and loggerheads.
Six had been transferred from facilities in New England, and the rest were found in Hampton Roads. Two more arrived from North Carolina on Saturday.
"We're very close to having a full house," Swingle said. "By the end of the weekend, we're going to be full."
The turtles may have been caught too far north and west when temperatures turned to freezing this past week, said Christina Trapani of the aquarium's stranding response team.
"I think the temperature's just dropped so quickly that they haven't gotten out yet," Trapani said. "They should be going somewhere warm."
The situation is more severe on the Outer Banks, where about 15 turtles have washed up, too cold to move, since Monday.
Ferry workers came to the rescue of four turtles at the Hatteras terminal Wednesday. Two greens and two Kemp's ridley turtles had drifted into the basin where ferries pick up and drop off passengers.
"They all looked like they were dead. We weren't seeing any movement out of them at all," deck hand Frank Folb said.
But then one moved its head.
Folb said workers quickly launched a rescue boat into the water and scooped up the turtles. They then called a local wildlife rehabilitator.
The majority of turtles have been found on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands, and the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles in Kitty Hawk is expecting "many more," the group's president, Karen Fitzgerald, said.
"We definitely are at full capacity, and they keep coming in," she said.
NEST operates a rehabilitation center for cold-stunned and injured turtles with the help of staff at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island.
Once there, the turtles are gradually warmed up.
"You can't just stick them next to a heater and warm them up fast. You have to do it slowly," Fitzgerald said, adding that it can cost between $300 and $400 to care for one turtle before it is released back into the water.
Last winter, nearly 70 cold-stunned turtles - a record number - were rescued by NEST volunteers, Fitzgerald said.
It's still too early to compare this year's numbers to last year's.
Erin James, (252) 441-1711, erin.james@pilotonline.com
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BIG difference between deer and sea turtles
Just to clarify... there's a huge diff. between rescuing deer vs rescuing sea turtles. All 7 species of sea turtles are endangered (or in some cases critically endangered). Their status is a direct result of human activity - getting killed in fishing gear, having eggs taken from nesting beaches, being hunted.
Whether or not you care is is your business. But at this point, every single sea turtle makes a difference. The same can't be said for deer. To those volunteering their time on this effort - THANK YOU.
PETA??
I wonder what Peta has to say about these meddling humans? I agree that these turtles are undergoing some "natural selection" and it's not our jobs to save them. But if these people want to rehab some turtles who would otherwise die maybe that can make up for the turtles that humans really have caused to die with nets, pollution, etc.
They say, "Donate money to
They say, "Donate money to us!"
fee for service turtle health care
Who's paying for their er tab? Perhaps we can attach this as an earmark for another piece of legislation. I would gladly donate my time to save turtles and I wouldn't expect to get paid for it.
The Tab...
Is paid for by an all volunteer force and funding raised via the Aquarium's private/non-profit fund raising entity. No public funds are used. You can certainly contact the Aquarium and see where your skills may fit in or you can donate to the cause.
Other news
NC has banned cold weather from its beaches in order to protect the turtles.
Carolina can't ban the weather,
they don't have Pat, Jon, and Edgar.
good or bad
turtles have been swimming in our ocean for thousands of years , they are wild animals , while noone wants to see animnals suffer , the simple facts are they ar wild animals , they have survived for thousands of years without the interference of humans , you have to ask yourself is it a good thing or bad to interfere with natural selection ,the weak are culled out by nature so the strong can survive , the state of virginia dept of game and inland fisheries just charged a man in va with several charges two months ago for rehabilitating a white tail deer this story is no different wild animals belong in the wild to live wild its how nature intended , is interfering with natural selection a good or bad thing ?
Turtles have survived
DESPITE the interference of humans, but that interference has in fact led to the near-extinction of these turtles. That is why they are called an endangered species. At this point, the devastation humans have dealt to turtles and many other species can be countered only by this kind of determined effort to rescue every turtle possible and assist in their abilities to re-propagate the species. Sure they belong in the wild, but where is that supposed to be?
Erin
can you add a comment for contact info to assist