The Smallest Loggerhead — 6 December 2000It was just plain freezing this morning. Sub-zero wind chills. Blustery west-northwest gusts at 20+ knots. Slushy ice forming along the shore. Brrrr! Not a particularly hospitable venue for tropical sea turtles.
Nevertheless, the tiniest loggerhead sea turtle seen in these parts for several seasons was rescued by a Massachusetts Audubon volunteer from Bound Brook beach in north Wellfleet. At 33.3 centimeters long, she’s smaller than some of the ridleys.
Her 13-pound mass had been chilled to 35.2°F by bay conditions. Still, she was responsive and active and breathing fairly well.
Another, more normal size loggerhead was discovered by a volunteer at Boat Meadow beach in Eastham. This turtle measured 44.1 centimeters and weighed nearly 30 pounds, yet her internal body temperature had dropped to a mere 32.3 degrees. Both loggerheads are being prepared for transport to the New England Aquarium in Boston. Two dead ridleys were found in Dennis and Brewster. Totals now stand at 36 cold-stunned sea turtles, four of which were loggerheads and the rest were Kemp’s ridleys. | |||||||
