CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Concord’s SEA LIFE Aquarium rescued four green sea turtles from North Carolina’s cold water coasts.
The sudden drop in water temperatures left these turtles shocked and in need of rehabilitation. SEA LIFE’s specialized team of aquarists are working on nurturing these young turtles back to good health.
Every year sea turtles head south to warmer temperature waters but some miss the migration. By not heading southward these turtles are exposed to suffering hypothermic reactions because they are exposed to colder waters. This is considered to be “cold-stunning”. If a turtle is caught in these colder waters they lose their ability regulate body temperatures and results in them floating rather than swimming. This year North Carolina’s Coastguard found more turtles than the past couple years that had missed the migration and were stuck in the all too sudden cold waters.
SEA LIFE made this all possible with their ‘Breed, Rescue and Protect’ conservation program.
