15 Turtles Rescued By The National Aquarium Returned To Sea

BALTIMORE, MD — The National Aquarium returned a group of 15 juvenile sea turtles this week to their natural habitat off the coast of Florida.

According to aquarium officials, 13 Kemp’s ridley and two green sea turtles came to the National Aquarium in November after stranding due to being cold-stunned off the coast of Massachusetts.

The turtles were treated for ailments commonly associated with cold stunning including pneumonia, dehydration, emaciation, shell and skin lesions, eye lesions and blood infections.

“We are ecstatic that Cornet made a successful recovery, but unfortunately, the threat of plastic pollution isn’t over for him or any of these turtles as they migrate along east coast waters,” said National Aquarium Animal Rescue Director Jennifer Dittmar.

“Marine debris continues to be a growing concern for the safety of sea turtles as they migrate along the waters of the east coast. Cornet’s case serves as a stark reminder of why the National Aquarium works to advocate for the elimination of single-use plastics and the removal of plastic pollution from waterways and wetlands," she continued.

The aquarium says turtle-rescue groups are seeing increased demand to rehabilitate turtles due to plastic pollution, climate change and other impacts from human activities. The National Aquarium voluntarily helps fulfill the federal government’s obligation to care for these endangered animals and rely on donations to rescue, rehabilitate and release sea turtles.

In addition to the 15 turtles that underwent rehab at the National Aquarium, the National Aquarium said it has also coordinated the release of 14 turtles rescued and rehabilitated by the New England Aquarium, the New York Marine Rescue Center and the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society.

Video of the turtle release: