Cold-stunned sea turtles receive care at North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher

Caitlin Richards
·3 min read

Fort Fisher, N.C. (WNCN) – Recent cold temperatures caused six Kemp’s ridley sea turtles to be under the care of the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (NCAFF) after being cold-stunned.

The six sea turtles arrived at the aquarium on Friday. They’re among the 200-cold stunned sea turtles that have been under the three North Carolina Aquariums care recently.

How do you know when a sea turtle is cold stunned?

Sea turtles will be very weak and inactive when water temperatures are below 50 F (10 C).

“Sea turtles are reptiles and are not able to strictly regulate their body temperature like mammals and birds,” said Stephanie Dwyer, assistant husbandry curator, NCAFF. “Cold-stunned sea turtles become lethargic and eventually are unable to swim causing them to float at the surface or wash up on beaches.”

NCAFF, Pine Knoll Shores (NCAPKS), and Roanoke Island (NCARI) are home to renowned Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation (STAR) Center, which takes care of weak or injured sea turtles.

Locating cold-stunned sea turtles

Biologists from Cape Lookout National Seashore and Cape Hatteras National Seashore, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) and volunteers from sea turtle conservation groups like the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles (N.E.S.T.) locate, record, and take the turtles to regional facilities.

In southern parts of NC, stranded turtles get transported to the Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) in Morehead City for assessment and treatment. The N.C. Aquarium veterinary team and the NCWRC then divide the turtles between rehab centers along the coast, including the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center (KBSTRRC) in Surf City, NCAPKS and NCAFF.

From Ocracoke north, stranded turtles go through a staging site on Hatteras Island for documentation and then directly to the STAR Center at NCRI, to complete initial assessments and treatments under the supervision of the veterinary team.

“Rehabilitation for a cold-stunned sea turtle can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months, depending on the health status of the turtle when they arrive. We work closely with our veterinary team to administer individual care as each turtle is affected differently by cold-stunning,” said Ryan McAlarney, husbandry curator, NCAFF.

Rehabilitating the cold-stunned sea turtles

The care team gradually warms the turtles up and makes sure they can swim and lift their heads out of the water to breathe. They’re given a variety of food and administers fluids, antibiotics, eye drops, and wound care prescribed by the veterinary team. Once the team clears the turtles for release, a small microchip is placed in the front flipper of each turtle. The chip tells where the turtle was last seen and how much they’ve grown.

Releasing the Rehabilitated Sea Turtles

Winter releases require partnerships with boats that can release the turtles offshore, typically, in warm water near the Gulf Stream, 70 F (21 C) or above.

Crews from Duke Marine Laboratory in Beaufort, the U.S. Coast Guard Stations at Cape Hatteras and Fort Macon, and private fishing vessels have helped release rehabilitated turtles.

NCWRC leads the work to rescue and rehabilitate sea turtles and collaborates with several federal, state, and private organizations including the NC Aquariums; CMAST; North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine; Cape Lookout National Seashore; KBSTRRC; N.E.S.T.; Cape Hatteras National Seashore; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; National Marine Fisheries Service; and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

What You Can Do

This time of year, be on the lookout for turtles in the water or on the beach that are not moving or appear to be sluggish. Do not put them back into the water or try to transport them. Call the Sea Turtle Stranding Hotline, and they’ll give instructions and send someone to retrieve and document the turtle.

  • South of Ocracoke Island, call 252-241-7367.

  • Ocracoke & Hatteras Island, call Cape Hatteras National Seashore at 252-216-6892.

  • Oregon Inlet and north, call N.E.S.T. at 252-441-8622.

About the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher  

The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is just south of Kure Beach, a short drive from Wilmington, on U.S. 421. The site is less than a mile from the Fort Fisher ferry terminal. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission: $12.95 ages 13-61; $10.95 children ages 3-12; $11.95 seniors (62 and older) and military with valid identification; EBT card holders: $3. Free admission for children 2 and younger and N.C. Aquarium Society members and N.C. Zoo members.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com.