The South Carolina Aquarium welcomes 15 sea turtle patients from Massachusetts

The South Carolina Aquarium welcomed 15 cold-stunned sea turtle patients from the coast of Massachusetts! These turtles had stranded on the coast of Cape Cod when water temperatures dropped.

When the plane carrying six green and nine Kemp’s ridley sea turtles touched down in South Carolina, the Sea Turtle Care Center staff were ready to receive them. The turtles were carefully unloaded in their banana boxes and transferred to vans for transport. Biologists and vet staff began triage on the drive, taking vitals such as heart rate and temperature, and ensuring that the patients were comfortable.

Upon arrival to the Aquarium, they were given full exams and put in shallow water tanks to rest. Most turtles were lethargic and weak, and some had additional complications such as frostbite and pneumonia.

All patients were given fluids and antibiotics and began a slow introduction of food after a few days of settling in.

Stay tuned on the SC Aquarium Facebook page for more information on these 15 frosty cuties: Venus, Virgo, Sagittarius, Taurus, Pisces, Capricorn, Jupiter, Scorpio, Aquarius, Leo, Libra, Cancer, Neptune, Mars and Saturn. Be sure to send good vibes for their recovery in the comments!

And of course, special thanks to our friends at Turtles Fly Too, New England Aquarium and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Life Center for helping  give sea turtles a fighting chance.

Source: South Carolina Aquarium