Description
Dozens of critically endangered sea turtles caught in icy waters up North are now being treated in Florida.
A total of 52 critically endangered Kemp's Ridley sea turtles were flown on a private jet to Florida from New England after they were cold-stunned. Of those, 16 are being treated at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. CMA veterinarians explained these turtles were in the icy waters of Cape Cod.
"As the water temperature drops, their body temperature drops, and so they get very cold. They almost go into a comatose-like state," Dr. Shelly Marquardt said.
As CMA's vice president of animal and environmental health, Dr. Marquardt is familiar with turtles in this condition as it happens every winter. She said 12 out of the 16 turtles they are treating have pneumonia. Two of the turtles are receiving care for eye ulcers.
"At this point, everyone’s doing very well and we will stay on top of that," she said.
MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/life/animals/florida-sea-turtles-cold-stunned/67-da2574ce-d349-4ba5-8942-962511342179
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