Critically endangered turtles released into wild after rehab stay at Zoo Miami Turtle Hospital
MIAMI - After spending weeks of being nursed back to health at the Zoo Miami Sea Turtle Hospital, six endangered juvenile Kemp's ridley sea turtles were released back into the wild.
On December 9th, the zoo's turtle hospital received eight cold-stunned juvenile Kemp's ridley sea turtles that were flown in from the Cape Cod area.
The zoo said the turtles had been exposed to rapidly dropping temperatures in the northeast Atlantic and were suffering from a variety of issues ranging from emaciation, abrasions, dehydration and swollen eyes.
Following weeks of dedicated care, six of the eight made an excellent recovery. They had significant weight gain, increased mobility, and their abrasions were healing.
Last Friday, Jan. 13th, Zoo Miami Sea Turtle Hospital supervisor Rosemary Lucas packed up the six which were taken to a site near Cape Canaveral and released back into the ocean.
The Kemp's ridley turtle is the world's most endangered and smallest species of sea turtle with a shell length rarely exceeding two feet and weighing up to a hundred pounds. They are found from the Gulf of Mexico all the way up the eastern seaboard to Nova Scotia where they feed primarily on crabs and other shellfish.
Illegal harvesting of their eggs and getting caught in nets are the main reasons for their critically endangered status.
