The New England Aquarium has been overwhelmed with treating over 250 sea turtles suffering from hypothermia at Cape Cod beaches due to frigid temperatures. Most of the turtles, mostly endangered Kemp’s ridley turtles, are dealing with pneumonia, dehydration, sepsis, or traumatic injuries. Around 100 turtles were rescued in just the past two days. This phenomenon occurs frequently in the fall and early winter when turtles are unable to leave Cape Cod Bay due to rapid changes in water temperatures and wind patterns. Many of the turtles will require weeks or even months of treatment before they can be released back into the ocean. In addition to turtles, there has been a significant increase in strandings of marine mammals such as dolphins, porpoises, seals, and whales in the Cape Cod area. The situation highlights the challenges that sea creatures are facing in this region due to environmental changes and human impact.
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Rescue operation saves hundreds of hypothermic turtles stranded on Cape Cod shores
