Rehabilitated Turtles Return Home To The Sea

Park visitors and community neighbors were recently given a rare treat – watching two loggerhead turtles and a green turtle return home to the sea. 

Representatives from the National Park Service, the North Carolina Aquarium, and The Network for Endangered Sea Turtles (NEST) released three rehabilitated sea turtles back to the Atlantic Ocean on a warm spring evening on the Buxton beach in front of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. 

This past winter, several sudden drops in water temperatures resulted in statewide mass coldwater stunning events. Between November 12th and February 5th, North Carolina had 110 reported cold-stunned turtles, 73 of which were found alive and transported to rehabilitation centers.  Turtles are cold-blooded creatures and cold water can leave them lethargic and floating lifeless on the water surface. When they drift onshore, they are very susceptible to predation and come into harm’s way. The three turtles were transported to rehabilitation facilities and treated, and plans were made to released them during warmer weather and ocean conditions.

Two of the turtles had further complications that resulted in a longer recovery period.  One of the loggerhead turtles was found on Hatteras Island in the cold-stunned state and a bird had completely pecked out the left eye and damaged the right eye.  After many months of care at the North Carolina State University School of Veterinary Medicine, the turtle had enough vision and depth perception to be eligible for release back to the ocean.

The green turtle was found along the shore of the Pamlico Sound south of Hatteras Village half buried in the sand with a bird perched atop it head.  This turtle had suffered a broken clavicle and a cracked carapace (shell), but, following seven months of rehabilitation, the injuries completely healed.  

Last week, both turtles eagerly returned home to the sea.