19 New England sea turtles have returned to the Atlantic Ocean off Florida after rehabilitation in Missouri
This image was released by The Wanders of Wildlife National Museum Aquarium, staff at Johnny Morris Sea Turtle Center in Springfield, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 by the Lidri Turtles of Kemp off Jacksonville, Florida. Credit: Api
The 19 sea turtles rehabilitated in Missouri after being affected by New England’s cold water temperatures were released into the Atlantic Ocean from Jacksonville, Florida on Wednesday afternoon.
It was sunny and 72 degrees as the Turtles advanced into the waters off Little Talbot Island State Park near Jacksonville, rehabilitation facility officials said. Their long journey will be made possible by Johnny Morris Uma’s Turtle Center in Springfield, Missouri, and the nonprofit Turtles will also fly. The turtle was then forced into Florida before its release.
According to director of Animal Care Mike Daniel, 20 logger heads and Kemp’s Ridri Tartles flew from the New England Aquarium in Boston to the wonders of the National Museum of Wildlife and Aquarium in Springfield in December.
One of the turtles was seriously ill and died after arriving in Missouri. However, the other 19 people spent 13 weeks brilliantly treating cold. This occurs when water temperatures drop rapidly and sea turtles suffer from a variety of conditions, including pneumonia, hypothermia, and dehydration. The centre’s veterinarian provided 24-hour care.
Hundreds of sea turtles along the Atlantic coast of the US have been suffering brilliantly cold for the past few months, most have usually flew to Florida for rehabilitation.
In this image, the Wanders of Wildlife National Museum Aquarium, Johnny Morris of the Sea Turtle Center in Springfield, Missouri, 19 logger heads, and the Lidri Tartles of Kemp, off Jacksonville, Florida, on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
In this image, staff members at The Wonders of Wildlife National Museum Aquarium, Johnny Morris Sea Turtle Center in Springfield, Missouri released Kemp’s Ridrei Turtles, which had been in rehabilitation since Wednesday, March 26, off Jacksonville, Florida.
In this image, staff at The Wonders of Wildlife National Museum Aquarium, Johnny Morris Sea Turtle Center in Springfield, Missouri, Wednesday, March 26, 2025, credit: John Neemorris/Wonders of the Wildlife National Museum Aquarium, AP
The Missouri Turtle Center opened in 2020 and rehabilitated approximately 64 sea turtles.
The turtles were equipped with special satellite tracking devices that allowed conservation scientists to monitor them.
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