New England Aquarium releases 4 sea turtles off Cape Cod after months of rehabilitation
WEST DENNIS – Four rescued sea turtles were released back into the Nantucket Sound after months of rehabilitation.
Three green sea turtles and one Kemp's ridley, which is a critically endangered species, made their way into the water on Tuesday as a small crowd looked on from the beach.
All four turtles spent eight months at the New England Aquarium's Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy.
The aquarium said the turtles were treated for pneumonia, dehydration and trauma because they were unable to regulate their body temperatures in the cold Cape Cod Bay waters during the fall months.
During the cold season of 2022, New England Aquarium treated 518 sea turtles that were rescued from Cape Cod shores. Thirteen turtles remain at the Quincy facility, though most are expected to be released off Cape Cod this summer.
The batch of four turtles released on Tuesday were named after a pasta theme - Rotini, Cavatappi, Cavatelli, and Chitarra.