15 sea turtles successfully make trip from northeast to Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue
The cold stuns are here.
Every year, as soon as the holidays roll around, we know that any number of the turtles that strand along Cape Cod will be headed our way. On Dec. 2, 15 defrosted critters reached the finish line at our hospital. It was a long and complicated journey, taking the efforts of a very experienced group of “turtle travel agents.”
Initially rescued by the Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, they were triaged at the New England Aquarium and the National Marine Life Center. After receiving their seat assignments (banana boxes for all) and boarding passes, they were flown to North Carolina by Turtles Fly Too, thanks to arrangements made by NOAA Fisheries New England/Mid Atlantic. Once on the ground in Beaufort, N.C., they headed down the road to CMAST (NC State University Center for Marine Sciences and Technology in Morehead City), where they were checked over by their vets and biologists from NCWRC. Finally, they arrived at our hospital late in the day on Friday. What a trip – literally.
We were ready for them. We advised Snooki, who is still enjoying her vacation in our therapy pool in Sick Bay, that she would be getting a lot of new roomies. Once the banana boxes were opened, we found that we had eight greens and seven Kemp's. That’s really an unusual mix for us. In previous years, it’s been all Kemp's, every time. Apparently, this year, the greens found something interesting enough in Cape Cod Bay that they decided to party with the Kemp's until the curtain came down. In any case, all these little guys are adorable, especially tiny “Tulip,” who weighs only one kilogram.
Our dedicated volunteers worked into the night, assigning names to each turtle and settling them into individual tanks where they have already begun their rehabilitation. And these are some of the best Crayola names of the year. We’re wondering if “Screamin’ Green” and “Banana Banana” are going to live up to their handles. Stay tuned for more information on some of the more “colorful” individuals and follow their progress on our social media sites.
We’re officially in cold stun season now, so please BOLO for turtles in trouble. If you see a turtle that’s been injured, cold-stunned or stranded for any reason, call our Director of Beach Operations Terry Meyer at 910-470-2880. If she is not available, you may call the hospital during operating hours at 910-329-0222. We will take the information and send trained volunteers to retrieve the turtle. The State of N.C. hotline for stranded, sick and injured turtles is 252-241-7367. The state number picks up 24/7. All conservation work for endangered sea turtles at KBSTRRC and on Topsail Island is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, ES Permit 22ST05.
You still have a few opportunities to visit us in 2022. We’re open for tours Dec. 8, 14 and 17. Check our website, www.seaturtlehospital.org, for times, as they vary. And we still require ticket purchases in advance on our site. Our gift shop is jam-packed with all kinds of merchandise for turtle lovers, and of course you can adopt one of our patients for those impossible-to-buy-for relatives and friends. You can shop during those days without taking the tour.
Jean Beasley wins award
Founding Director of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center Jean Beasley was presented the Thomas L. Quay Wildlife Diversity Award at the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission's October business meeting, according to a recent news release from NCWRC.
The NCWRC annually gives the Quay Award, the release said, to individuals who make outstanding contributions to wildlife diversity in North Carolina. Beasley is the 17th Quay Award recipient.
Karen Sota is the media coordinator for the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center.
This article originally appeared on The Daily News: 15 turtles check into Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue as cold stun season arrives
