Hurricane Strands Nearly 300-Pound Turtle On Delaware Beach
LEWES, Del. (AP) -- Hurricane Dorian swept through New England over the weekend, forcing a higher than average number of animals ashore and stranding about six loggerhead sea turtles along a Delaware beach.
The Daily Times of Salisbury reports only one of the turtles stranded at Lewes Beach was found alive. The Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute says the female loggerhead estimated to weigh nearly 300 pounds (136 kilograms) has been taken to the National Aquarium in Baltimore for rehabilitation.
Our Animal Rescue team is currently caring for a loggerhead turtle that stranded in Lewes, Delaware over the weekend. Weighing in at 275 pounds, this loggerhead is the largest turtle patient the Animal Rescue team has received in over a decade! pic.twitter.com/u8BhfX4Xn2
— National Aquarium (@NatlAquarium) September 10, 2019
The executive director of the conservation nonprofit, Suzanne Thurman, says the turtle had a cracked shell that expanded with each breath, an injury believed to be caused by a boat propeller. The turtle also was underweight and had organisms including parasites living on its shell.
The turtle remains in critical condition at the Baltimore aquarium.
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