Twenty loggerhead and Kemp's ridley turtles were flown in December from the New England Aquarium in Boston to the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, according to director of animal care Mike Daniel.
One of the turtles was critically ill and died after arriving in Missouri. But the other 19 spent 13 weeks being treated for cold stunning, which occurs when water temperatures drop quickly and cause sea turtles to suffer from various conditions such as pneumonia, hypothermia, and dehydration. Veterinarians at the center provided round-the-clock care.
Hundreds of sea turtles along the Atlantic Coast of the United States have suffered from cold stunning over the past few months, and most are typically flown to Florida for rehab.
The Missouri turtle center opened in 2020 and has rehabbed some 64 sea turtles.
The turtles were equipped with specialized satellite tracking devices that allow conservation scientists to monitor them.
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This story has been updated to correct the number of sea turtles rehabbed at the Johnny Morris Sea Turtle Center. It rehabbed some 64 sea turtles, not 55.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP