At the end of 2018, Deep Aquarist Shoshana helped to rehabilitate cold stunned sea turtles at the New England Aquarium Rescue Centre. Located on the East Coast of the United States, in Boston Massachusetts, the centre took in over 400 cold stunned turtles during November and December.
While Shoshana’s involvement may be done for this season, the centre is still very busy caring for the turtles to get them ready for release in the coming months. One of these is number 266, dubbed Munchkin by the rescue staff, it is the largest loggerhead to come through the centre, weighing 300 pounds (136kg).
Connie Merigo, Rescue Department Manager at the New England Aquarium has told us that 266 has regained enough weight to fill out and now physically looks like an adult Loggerhead. Following the completion of a few more tests, we keep our fingers crossed that she will be released later in the year.
Staff from the New England Aquarium Rehabilitation Centre will also be departing soon for the warmer waters of Florida. Travelling in a climate controlled SUV they will be transporting at least one Loggerhead and ten Kemp’s Ridley turtles to release them into the ocean on World Earth Day.
With many still under care at sites across the US, the final numbers for release this year are yet to be confirmed. Committed to continuing our support for this project, we will continue to follow up with Connie and her team over the coming months, with a final summary of the season’s success revealed later this summer.