JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. — After months of treatment, 34 rehabilitated sea turtles have been released back into the ocean off Jekyll Island in Georgia.
The turtles received care for hypothermia-related conditions at facilities along the East Coast, including the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Mystic Aquarium, New England Aquarium, and New York Marine Rescue Center.
More than a dozen staff members from the six agencies assisting with the release cheered on the 33 Kemp’s ridley sea turtles and one green sea turtle as they were carried into the warm ocean waters.
Michelle Kaylor, director of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts in protecting and conserving sea turtles.
"Partnerships are paramount. Through collaborative efforts, we can ensure the successful rehabilitation and return of these magnificent creatures to their natural habitats, safeguarding their future for generations to come," Kaylor said. “We are honored that Jekyll Island could serve as the host beach location on the Atlantic coast for the release of these rehabilitated sea turtles as they make their way to warmer waters.”
Volunteer pilots from the nonprofit organization Turtles Fly Too flew the turtles from Massachusetts and New York, allowing the turtles to get to Georgia without much stress.
The sea turtles spent the last several months in rehabilitation care for cold-stunning, an annual phenomenon in the Northeast when water and air temperatures gradually drop late in the year.
“It was so rewarding to have this group of sea turtles released on Jekyll Island after being nursed back to health by the New England Aquarium and our partner organizations. These turtles that were stranded late last year have certainly received wonderful care and are fully recovered as we send them back home,” said Adam Kennedy, director of rescue and rehabilitation at the New England Aquarium.
All but one of the released turtles were Kemp’s ridleys. This critically endangered species faces threats, including fisheries interactions, climate change, ocean pollution, and habitat degradation.
