A stranded, giant sea turtle that was treated and released by the New England Aquarium last Saturday appears to be doing well and is migrating south. (For more pictures, video and information about the rescue and release, click here, here and here.) As of Thursday, it was about 120 miles south of Nantucket on the edge of the continental shelf and due east of northern New Jersey. The endangered, thin, 655 pound leatherback sea turtle was released from a lobster boat Saturday about two miles south of Harwichport on Cape Cod with a tracking satellite tag.
Transmissions show that the 7 foot, soft-shelled black sea turtle on Sunday swam to the east coast of near-by Nantucket. The big male then spent the early part of the week in the waters just south of Nantucket which is in an area that often attracts leatherbacks in the summer to feed on abundant sea jellies (jellyfish). The turtle has since swum in a primarily southerly direction.
Turtle researchers are pleased with the animal’s progress but remain guardedly optimistic as this animal was near death when rescued. Due to recent field research on live leatherbacks conducted by UNH’s Kara Dodge and the Aquarium’s head veterinarian Dr. Charles Innis and rescue team leader Connie Merigo, the turtle was treated with a suite of medications and nutritional supplements that led to a quick recovery to a stable medical condition in less than 48 hours. However, given the turtle’s enormous size and the demands of handling and caring for it, the medical team decided that releasing the turtle was its best chance to survive. Before its release, the turtle was given a long term dosage of medicine and supplements that would aid in its recovery for about a week. The goal of that strategy was to give the animal more time to recover and be able to forage on its own and regain its strength.
The early satellite tracking data is encouraging.
This rescue is very significant as leatherbacks rarely strand alive. Of those, the vast majority have died quickly once in rehab. This might be just the third successful treatment and release of a leatherback anywhere. This is the first time that a released leatherback has been outfitted with a satellite tag that will hopefully reveal its travels for possibly up to three months.
Leatherbacks are swimming marine dinosaurs. They are largest of the sea turtles and commonly weigh in excess of 1000 pounds. They are endangered throughout tropical and temperate waters around the world and might become extinct in the Pacific in the next 30 years. Leatherbacks migrate into New England waters in the early summer to feed on sea jellies and return south in the autumn.
For more about the animals rescue and rehabilitation at the Aquarium Animal Care Center click here.
See video of the animal's transport and release here.
Learn more about the incredible significance of this rescue, straight from the Rescue Team, here.
The treatment and release of this giant leatherback sea turtle is among the first worldwide. Learn about the start of this rescue and rehabilitation operation here.
A 7-foot, 655-pound leatherback sea turtle that had stranded near the tip of Cape Cod on Thursday and was then transported to a New England Aquarium facility for treatment has been released in the waters south of Cape Cod in improved but very guarded condition. The black, soft-shelled giant was outfitted with a satellite tag to monitor its movement and hopeful survival.
Get a feel for the size of the animal and the release day with this video.
(McConnell Productions)
The turtle came in near death but was released late Saturday morning from the back of a fishing boat, a couple of miles off of Harwichport. The massive male was in much more stable condition due to treatment with a suite of medications that helped stabilize several of his blood values including glucose and oxygen levels which were very low. This treatment was made possible by recent field research conducted on briefly captured, live leatherbacks that helped biologists and veterinarians learn what normal blood values are in this ancient, ocean-going marine reptile.
Unlike other sea turtle species, leatherbacks have never been displayed in aquariums given their massive size, their constant swimming into tank walls and their exclusive diet of sea jellies (jellyfish). These endangered giants rarely strand alive and have usually survived for just a couple of days in an aquarium setting. Although this leatherback was not in ideal condition, Aquarium officials decided that the animal’s best chance of survival was back in the sea with its blood values stabilized and energy restored.
Head veterinarian Dr. Charles Innis and rescue director Connie Merigo, who together have overseen the rehabilitation of nearly a thousand sea turtles of smaller species, had worked with University of New Hampshire sea turtle researcher Kara Dodge over the past several summers capturing 400 to 1000 pound plus leatherbacks swimming off the Cape and Islands. The brief captures on to the back of a fishing boat allowed the scientists to do physical exams and collect tissue samples on healthy animals that are not available anywhere else. Little did they realize that they would use that information so soon.
Dr. Charles Innis (left) was one of many people who hefted the 655-pound turtle
This unusual rescue story began Wednesday evening when the turtle was first spotted stranded in Pamet Harbor in Truro near the tip of Cape Cod. Due to darkness and an incoming tide, rescue efforts were postponed.
Early Thursday morning, the staff of the Mass Audubon Sanctuary at Wellfleet Bay re-located the turtle a few hundred yards from the nearest road access. With the assistance of a dolphin stranding transport cart from the Cape Cod-based International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Mass Audubon and IFAW staff with local volunteers moved the one third ton reptile to a an IFAW vehicle. Thursday morning, Aquarium biologists met the rescuers on the Cape and took over care of the skinny, male turtle as they transported to the Aquarium’s new Marine Animal Care Center in the former Quincy Shipyard.
The turtle stranded in Truro, Mass.
There, he was evaluated by the Aquarium’s veterinarians. The lethargic, seven foot long turtle at 655 pounds was actually underweight although not emaciated. Leatherback sea turtles are among the world’s largest reptiles, and adults commonly weigh in excess of 1000 pounds. Rescue staff drew blood to evaluate the animal’s health and started administering drugs to treat it for dehydration, trauma and shock.
Leatherbacks are open ocean sea turtles that migrate thousands of miles and consequently have enormous front flippers to pull their giant bodies through the water. Aquarium medical staff immediately noticed the turtle’s unfortunately distinctive left front flipper that was about a foot and a half shorter than the three foot long right one. About 40% of that paddle was gone due to some kind of recent trauma. Most of the wound had healed over, but Dr. Innis felt that the injury had probably occurred this season.
Sea turtles often lose parts of flippers to sharks or other large predatory fish and can still survive. However, the line of the avulsed tissue on the flipper was very straight. That led some Aquarium staff to wonder if the trauma might have occurred from a flipper entanglement in a vertical line in the water such as to a lobster pot or a boat mooring. Such entanglements are unfortunately quite common and along with recreational boat strikes are the two leading sources of death for this endangered species in New England waters. Officials are still counting and double checking reports but fear that more than twenty of the endangered leatherbacks have died in the region this summer.
Leatherbacks migrate up the East Coast each June to feed on abundant sea jellies (jellyfish) in Massachusetts waters, particularly around the Cape and the Islands. They will migrate south for the winter in September and October.
The turtle was kept from bumping the sides of the tank with a special harness maned by two people at all times.
After its intake exam, Aquarium staff wrapped a large, Velcro harness around the turtle before placing it in a large tank. The harness was attached to a rope which was always handled by one or two people with the mandate of keeping the turtle from swimming into one of the tank walls. Being entirely ocean going, leatherbacks never encounter barriers in the sea that they cannot swim around. The harness was designed by New England Aquarium staff as a technique to avoid further injury to the turtle.
Aquarium biologists, veterinarians and volunteers worked overnight Thursday and Friday constantly monitoring the giant turtle. The turtle steadily regained its strength and increased its activity level. The decision was made to release him.
In the pre-dawn hours of Saturday, a couple of dozen people moved about the cavernous, high tech space of the Aquarium’s sea turtle rescue facility. A forklift fired up, and two staff in dry suits entered the tank with the turtle. They directed the turtle to swim into a heavy tarp hanging from the forks. After some adjusting, the 655 pounder was lifted out of the pool and slowly backed out of the building where it was loaded into a marine animal transport trailer provided by IFAW.
A small caravan of vehicles followed the trailer to Harwichport. There, the loading process was reversed. While loading, the turtle was outfitted with satellite tracking tag that was attached to its shell. The expensive electronic device was provided by the Riverhead Foundation of Long Island which drove it up on short notice. The turtle was settled on to the back deck of the lobster boat, Sea Holly, which is owned and captained by Mark Leach. As the Sea Holly left port, about twenty on-lookers spontaneously cheered.
Ten staff took their positions reviewing the detailed plans for several different scenarios. The monstrous, seven foot turtle quietly clambered about the stern deck. That activity level was a good sign. Once sufficiently off-shore, the stern rail was opened, and the big male pulled forward with his huge front flippers and dropped a foot into the water. He dove deep right away and did not re-surface within sight of the boat. That is normal behavior for healthy leatherbacks that had been handled during the research field work. A couple of early hits came in off of his satellite tag indicating that he was moving.
The prognosis remains unclear, but this individual sea turtle has been afforded another chance at survival in an endangered species that is staring down extinction.
A 7-foot endangered ocean-going sea turtle, which rarely strands alive, is clinging to life at the New England Aquarium’s Marine Animal Care Center in Quincy, MA. The seven foot long, 655 pound leatherback sea turtle was found just as darkness fell Wednesday night on a mud flat in Pamet Harbor in Truro, MA, near the tip of Cape Cod.
Staff from the Mass Audubon Sanctuary at Wellfleet Bay located and identified the huge, black, sea-going turtle as daylight faded. Given the remote location, darkness and an incoming tide, rescue efforts were postponed until the morning. Mass Audubon then contacted the New England Aquarium’s Marine Animal Rescue Team, which rehabilitates hundreds of sea turtles each year. However, live leatherback stranding are extremely rare with the Aquarium only handling five leatherbacks on Massachusetts beaches in more than 40 years.
Early Thursday morning, Mass Audubon staff re-located the turtle a few hundred yards from the nearest road access. With the assistance of a dolphin stranding transport cart from the Cape Cod-based International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Mass Audubon and IFAW staff with local volunteers moved the one third ton reptile to an IFAW vehicle. Thursday morning, Aquarium biologists met the rescuers on the Cape and took over care of the skinny, male turtle as they transported to the Aquarium’s new Marine Animal Care Center in the former Quincy Shipyard.
There, he was evaluated by the Aquarium’s veterinarians including Dr. Charles Innis, who is one of the leading authorities on the medical care of turtles. The lethargic, seven foot long turtle at 655 pounds is actually underweight, although not emaciated. Leatherback sea turtles are among the world’s largest reptiles, and adults commonly weigh in excess of 1000 pounds. Rescue staff drew blood to evaluate the animal’s health and started administering drugs to treat it for dehydration, trauma and shock.
Leatherbacks are open ocean sea turtles that migrate thousands of miles and consequently have enormous front flippers to pull their giant bodies through the water. Aquarium medical staff immediately noticed the turtle’s unfortunately distinctive left front flipper that was about a foot and a half shorter than the three foot long right one. About 40 percent of that paddle was gone due to some kind of recent trauma. Most of the wound had healed over, but Dr. Innis felt that the injury had probably occurred this season.
Sea turtles often lose parts of flippers to sharks or other large predatory fish and can still survive. However, the line of the avulsed tissue on the flipper was very straight. That led some Aquarium staff to wonder if the trauma might have occurred from a flipper entanglement in a vertical line in the water such as to a lobster pot or a boat mooring. Such entanglements are unfortunately quite common and along with recreational boat strikes are the two leading sources of death for this endangered species in New England waters. Officials are still counting and double checking reports but fear that more than twenty of the endangered leatherbacks have died in the region this summer.
Leatherbacks migrate up the East Coast each June to feed on abundant sea jellies (jellyfish) in Massachusetts waters, particularly around the Cape and the Islands. They will migrate south for the winter in September and October.
After its intake exam, Aquarium staff wrapped a large, Velcro harness around the turtle before placing it in a large tank. The harness was attached to a rope which was always handled by a person with the mandate of keeping the turtle from swimming into one of the tank walls. Being entirely ocean going, leatherbacks never encounter barriers in the sea that they cannot swim around. The harness was designed by New England Aquarium staff as a technique to avoid further injury to the turtle.
Aquarium biologists and veterinarians are working overnight and constantly monitoring the giant turtle in the hopes of trying to save it but are also hoping to learn more about leatherbacks first hand in this very, very rare opportunity. The animal’s prognosis is poor as in order to strand, it had to become critically ill. However, the New England Aquarium’s rescue and veterinary staff are among the most skilled and experienced in the world at rehabilitating sea turtles.
Summer is winding down and many people are logging their last days walking the beach, looking at the treasures that wash up with the tides. Outdoor exploration, such as beachcombing, offers a special opportunity
to connect with and learn about the natural world. One can gain a
personal appreciation, as well as acquire the understanding that each of
us is an interdependent part of the earth’s ecosystem.
Can you match all the beach finds in this picture with the list below? The answer key is at the bottom of the post.
A study in beach finds (click to enlarge)
Lobster claw
Skate egg case
Blue mussel shells
Hermit crab molt
Surf clam shell
Sand dollar tests
Horseshoe crab molt
Moon snail shell
Moon snail shell with “snail fur”
Dog whelk
Green sea urchin tests
Knobbed whelk
Periwinkle shells
Bay scallop shell
Horse mussel shell
Channeled whelk egg cases
Waved whelk shell
Jonah crab molt
Waved whelk egg cases
Sea star
While we pick through the beautiful, mysterious, sometimes-smelly and fascinating finds on the beach, it's important to keep in mind that we are not just visitors to the seashore. Rather we are participating
members of the coastal ecosystem community, capable of both directly and
indirectly creating far-reaching impacts. The Aquarium's policy is
to encourage beachcombers to limit collecting to a minimum, collecting only items that are in abundance and
trying not to duplicate selections when collecting with a group. If you're in a group, try a limit of one item per person (fewer is even better). If
possible, return the items when once your project or admiration is completed. This kind of
responsible collecting can enhance an educational experience and
encourage a lasting connection to the coastline, ultimately increasing
awareness and stewardship.
Answers: I Lobster claw, N Skate egg case, D Blue mussel shells, L Hermit crab molt, Q Surf clam shell, H Sand dollar tests, A Horseshoe crab molt, S Moon snail shell, T Moon snail shell with “snail fur”, R Dog whelk, M Green sea urchin tests, J Knobbed whelk, K Periwinkle shells, P Bay scallop shell, O Horse mussel shell, C Channeled whelk egg cases, B Waved whelk shell, F Jonah crab molt, G Waved whelk egg cases, E Sea star
The New England Aquarium is in the midst of an exciting transformation. The Giant Ocean Tank is getting a 21st-century upgrade, and many of the animals are settling into their temporary homes now. Click here for the latest construction updates.
This is entry is cross posted on the Penguin Blog.
During the transformation of the Giant Ocean Tank,
the African and rockhopper penguins are vacationing in our off-site
holding facility in Quincy. That's because Myrtle and the gang are going
to be spending the winter in the penguin exhibit! (Watch video of
Myrtle's move here.)
At
Quincy's Animal Care Center, the penguins have a specially-designed
climate-controlled enclosure with a swimming pool and a wide deck where
the birds are fed. The penguins also use the wide, comfy deck for preening (especially when they're molting), mingling and resting. All the birds seem to be quite happy in their new living quarters. Take a look!
Of
course, there are still penguins at the Aquarium! Be sure to come by to
see the little blue penguins in their temporary pad around back near
the New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center. And don't go far, we'll
have more updates about the penguins—both from Quincy and the
Aquarium—coming up soon!
Sharks live in fear of her.
She has appeared in TV commercials and movies.
Millions of people have taken pictures of her.
She has been the subject of research that has helped save thousands of her kind.
Myrtle has a temporary new home. (Photo: D. Finks)
At 560 pounds and 80-plus years old, Myrtle the green sea turtle is the grande dame of the New England Aquarium. She has ruled over the Giant Ocean Tank for the past four decades, but now her home is undergoing a nine-month, $17 million transformation. Myrtle had to be moved before work could begin. Biologists, veterinarians and divers at the Aquarium planned carefully how to move this powerful and piquant personality to her temporary home. Here is video of that successful transfer.
The move went off without a hitch, and now you can appreciate Myrtle's imposing presence from a whole new perspective in the penguin exhibit.
