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Dozens of cold-stunned sea turtles get floral names ahead of Valentine’s Day

The sea turtles are recovering from hypothermia-related conditions at the New England Aquarium.

Dogwood Courtesy/New England Aquarium

February 11, 2024

2 minutes to read

As Valentine’s Day approaches, dozens of cold-stunned sea turtles with floral-themed names are preparing for a date with the Atlantic Ocean.

The 53 sea turtles are rehabilitating at the New England Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy, where they’ve been recovering from hypothermia-related conditions.

It’s tradition for aquarium staff and volunteers to name the sea turtles receiving long-term care, and this year’s theme is flowers. The group includes endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles “Rose,” “Peony,” and “Marigold” and several loggerhead sea turtles with names like “Water Lily,” “Dogwood,” and “Bird of Paradise.”

The annual sea turtle cold-stunning season ended in January, with aquarium staff treating nearly 400 who had been stranded on Cape Cod beaches since November.

Most of the turtles were stabilized and taken to other rehab facilities, but the 53 that remain are being treated for life-threatening conditions such as pneumonia, sepsis, bone infection, and dehydration. Scientists say the turtles have developed severe illnesses due to being unable to regulate their body temperature in the frigid waters of Cape Cod Bay.

“This is the time of year when we shift our operations from triaging and stabilizing hundreds of turtles to the next critical phase. At this point, the focus is on those turtles that were too sick to be transported: Ensuring that the proper medical treatment is given, spending long hours coaxing the turtles to eat, and keeping a watchful eye on all of these animals’ behavior,” said Adam Kennedy, Director of Rescue and Rehabilitation at the New England Aquarium.

Each sick turtle receives an individualized treatment with the help of aquarium veterinarians and staff biologists.

“Many of these animals still have severe infections or other disorders that require intensive treatment and advanced diagnostics,” said Dr. Melissa Joblon, the Aquarium’s Director of Animal Health. “Some of them may require surgery such as joint debridement for bone infection, lung biopsy for chronic pneumonia, or exploratory gastrointestinal procedures to ensure they will be healthy enough for release by the summer.”

Hundreds of cold-stunned sea turtles wash up every fall and early winter on Cape Cod beaches. According to biologists, the rapidly changing water temperature and wind pattern cause the animals to get trapped in the hook-like area of Cape Cod Bay, where they become hypothermic. Each winter, volunteers with Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary scour the beaches for stranded turtles and transport them to the aquarium’s facility for treatment.

But Leslie Weinstein, president of the nonprofit Turtles Fly Too, said changing ocean temps are pushing more and more sea turtles out past their typical habitats, and the number of turtles caught in waters too cold for their survival is increasing.

“That’s why it’s crucial for Turtles Fly Too, with our network of volunteer pilots who are ready at any moment, to provide medivac support. When every minute counts, a short plane ride can be what stands between life-saving rehabilitation and death,” said Weinstein.

Aquarium staff plans to release most of the rehabbed turtles off Cape Cod into Nantucket Sound this summer once the waters are warm enough. A few of the healthier turtles may be transported further south for a springtime release.

From Feb. 19 to Feb. 23, aquarium visitors can help protect endangered sea turtles by visiting the Blue Planet Action Center to learn more about the rescue and rehabilitation program.

The aquarium said guests can write to their members of Congress to encourage their support of critical conservation efforts.