Turtle Journal

Slush Forms along Eastham Shoreline

It 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.

Tiny 33.3 cm Loggerhead Sea Turtle Rescued

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.

30-Pound Loggerhead Rescued at Boat Meadow in Eastham

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.

Roiling Cape Cod Bay in December

A stiff north/northwest breeze, mixed with on-and-off snow showers, drove three sea turtles onto Brewster beaches this morning: two Kemp’s ridleys and the first loggerhead of the season.  Today’s rescues brings the total to 28 cold-stunned sea turtles to date: 27 ridleys and one loggerhead.

Margot Fitsch with First Cold-Stunned Loggerhead of 2000

Margot Fitsch of Brewster found this first loggerhead near Saints Landing at 8:30 this morning.

Biologist Kathy Tuxbury Hefts 40 Pound Loggerhead

A tad over 50 centimeters carapace length and weighing 41.5 pounds, this small juvenile reminds us how much we miss our resident 3-pound terrapins and dread this back-breaking phase of the sea turtle rescue season.  Yes, they are gorgeous, but a 40-pounder is on the tiny side of the bell curve for loggerheads.  If past is prologue, we’ll be visited by turtles in the 55 to 70 pound range for the next few weeks.  Time to reach for back brace and truss.

Cold-Stunned, 40-Pound Juvenile Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Even her massive size, compared with the smaller Kemp’s ridleys, didn’t save this loggerhead from severe cold-stunning.  Her internal body temperature registered only 34.9 degrees Fahrenheit.  She and her two ridley companions are en route to the New England Aquarium in Boston for emergency treatment.

Three Cold-Stunned Kemp’s Ridleys from Brewster and Dennis

This morning’s tide, augmented by a 20-mph northwest wind, delivered three live Kemp’s ridley sea turtles on the shores of Brewster and Dennis: one at Linnell Landing, another at Ellis Breach, and a third at Cold Storage.

Kemp’s Ridley with Internal Temperature of 41.3º F

Internal body temperatures of this batch of turtles registered around 40 degrees Fahrenheit.  The last four ridleys, which came ashore on the 29th at Duck Harbor, have all died.  Examinations showed critically low glucose levels, among other serious medical conditions, and these turtles were assessed in as poor condition as had ever been seen.

Cold-Stunned Kemp’s Ridley in Dry Dock

So, to ensure the most aggressive treatment for today’s three, they were immediately dispatched to the New England Aquarium in Boston with the help of the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Miracle Kemp’s Ridley Rescued at Duck Harbor

The Cape was cold and blue last week as wave after wave of Kemp’s ridleys washed ashore frozen dead.  Internal body temperatures plunged to 32 degrees, as icy slush began to form along the shoreline.  We knew no ridleys could survive these Arctic conditions, and only a miracle could save any Kemp’s still lingering in the bay.  Well, the weather broke.  We had a few days of moderate temperatures and gentle winds.  And a miracle came to the Duck Harbor beach, bringing four live Kemp’s ridley sea turtles along with it.

Biologist Kathy Tuxbury Documents Kemp’s Ridley Rescue

Kathy Tuxbury, the research biologist at Wellfleet Bay, discovered the first turtle in the incoming tide at 11:15 this morning.  A nice size juvenile at 30.3 centimeters carapace length and 3.7 kilograms weight, she was quite lively and threatened to nip Kathy as she rescued her from the bay.  Her body temperature registered a surprisingly warm 46 degrees, but her breathing was raspy and fast.  So, we decided on an immediate transport to the New England Aquarium for more aggressive intervention.

Cape Resident Rescues Cold-Stunned Ridley at Duck Harbor

As we prepared the turtle for transport, a resident walking the beach south of Kathy’s find brought in another live ridley from Duck Harbor.  Nearly three centimeters bigger than the earlier turtle and weighing 4.1 kilograms, she too seemed surprisingly well and sported an internal body temperature of 51.6 degrees.  She joined the first turtle in an ambulance run to the Sagamore Bridge rotary for relay to the New England Aquarium in Boston.

Don Lewis Examines Cold-Stunned Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle

By the time I got back from the turtle relay, Kathy had recovered another live Kemp’s ridley from the afternoon high tide just north of the first two turtles.  This one was considerably smaller at 26.65 centimeters and only 2.7 kilograms.  Yet, she too had a 48.5 degree body temperature and seemed in fairly good condition — for this time of year.

Educator Amy Kiebala Ferreira, Students and Ridley

A phone call alerted us to another ridley immediately in front of the Duck Harbor parking lot.  Amy Kiebala, the Sanctuary’s children education coordinator, raced her team of students to the north Wellfleet beach to rescue this turtle: 31.8 centimeters long and weighing 4.1 kilograms.

Don Lewis and Miracle Kemp’s Ridley at Duck Harbor Sunset

We’re counting our blessings tonight: four live Kemp’s ridleys, the rarest sea turtle in the world, at least a week beyond any reasonable hope of finding another one alive in Cape Cod Bay.  We’re doing a lot of quick thinking, too.  How could these critters have survived last week’s frigid conditions.  Was there a warm sink somewhere off Wellfleet in which these turtles were able to hunker down and avoid freezing?  Or did these ridleys mysteriously snap back from the ~ 32 degree internal body temperatures we recorded around 23/24/25 November?  Whatever the reason, we’re not looking a gift horse in the mouth.  But we are still looking.  Tomorrow morning sea turtle patrols will hit Wellfleet and Truro beaches around Duck Harbor, praying for a few more miracles.