Johnny Morris' Sea Turtle Center at Wonders of Wildlife Welcomes Fifth Group of Critically Ill Sea Turtles for Rehabilitation
Drastic Spike in Sea Turtle Strandings Along the U.S. Northeast Coast Highlights Urgent Need for Marine Conservation
SPRINGFIELD, Mo., Feb. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnny Morris' Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium (WOW), a world-class nonprofit conservation organization, has welcomed its fifth group of critically ill sea turtles to its cutting-edge Sea Turtle Center. As the only dedicated sea turtle rescue facility in the Midwest, WOW has successfully rehabilitated more than 40 sea turtles — including loggerheads, green sea turtles, and Kemp's ridley sea turtles — since its founding in 2020, making a lasting impact on marine conservation in the heart of the Missouri Ozarks.
The latest group of 20 loggerhead and Kemp's ridley sea turtles arrived in Springfield, Missouri, at the end of December, following a dramatic increase in sea turtle strandings along the northeastern U.S. coast due to rapidly dropping ocean temperatures. The turtles were transported from The New England Aquarium in Boston, Massachusetts, via a rescue flight coordinated by the nonprofit organization Turtles Fly Too. Upon arrival, WOW's expert animal care team immediately began providing advanced medical care, giving these turtles a second chance at survival and, ultimately, a return to the wild.
The 20 sea turtles are receiving life-saving treatment, including hydration therapy, wound management, nutritional support, and specialized veterinary care. Once stabilized, they will be released back into their natural habitats in coordination with federal and state wildlife agencies such as the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
'Our team is passionate about giving these turtles the best chance for survival,' said Mike Daniel, Director of Animal Care at Wonders of Wildlife. 'Every rescue is a step toward protecting the future of these endangered species, and we're honored to be a key part of that effort.'
Increased Cold-Stunning in the Northeast
The rescued sea turtles suffer from 'cold-stunning,' a life-threatening condition caused by sudden drops in ocean temperatures. As ectothermic animals, sea turtles rely on their environment to regulate their body temperature. When temperatures fall too quickly, turtles can become immobile and experience severe conditions such as hypothermia, pneumonia, and dehydration.
NOAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have reported over 400 cold-stunned sea turtles along the U.S. East Coast this season alone, each requiring urgent medical care. Due to the complexity of their life cycle, only 1 in 1,000 sea turtle hatchlings survive to adulthood, making every successful rehabilitation and release critical to the survival of these endangered species.
Although the newly rescued turtles are not accessible to the public due to their fragile condition, guests can still connect with WOW's resident green sea turtles, Izzy and Ms. Pam, in the Open Ocean exhibit, learning firsthand about these endangered species and how to help protect them.
Expanding Conservation through Satellite Tracking
In spring 2024, WOW introduced advanced satellite tracking technology to monitor rehabilitated sea turtles after their release – a new project made possible by Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's generous Outdoor Fund grant. This advanced technology allows researchers to collect valuable data on turtle migration patterns, habitats, and overall life cycle. Guests can follow the journeys of five sea turtles released earlier this year through an interactive tracking feature on WOW's website.
Building on this success, WOW plans to expand its satellite tagging program with this latest group of rescued turtles. Eligible turtles will be fitted with specialized satellite tracking devices before their release, allowing conservation scientists to monitor their progress in near real-time.
'Our commitment to sea turtle conservation extends far beyond the coasts,' Daniel added. 'By integrating advanced tracking technology into our program, we're not only giving these turtles a second chance at life but also contributing to critical global research efforts that can help protect future generations.'
Inspiring the Next Generation of Conservationists
In addition to its sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation efforts, WOW plans to partner with local schools to inspire the next generation of ocean conservation advocates. Through educational programs, interactive exhibits, and behind-the-scenes tours, students will learn about marine conservation and the importance of protecting endangered species like sea turtles.
For more information about Wonders of Wildlife's Sea Turtle Center, sea turtle tracking, and upcoming programs, visit wondersofwildlife.org/sea-turtles.
About Johnny Morris' Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium
Johnny Morris' Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium consists of an all-new 1.5-million-gallon Aquarium Adventure showcasing 35,000 live fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds, and immersive Wildlife Galleries that bring visitors eye-to-eye with the greatest collection of record-setting game animals ever assembled. Created by noted conservationist and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, the 350,000-square-foot experience celebrates those who hunt, fish, and act as stewards of the land and water. Located next to Bass Pro Shops National Headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, the campus is a centerpiece of America's Conservation Capital in Missouri's Ozark Mountains. Wonders of Wildlife has been voted 'Best New Attraction in America' and 'America's Best Aquarium' an unprecedented six times by the readers of USA TODAY, and in 2022 received its AZA accreditation. For more information, visit www.wondersofwildlife.org.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Saharan Dust makes its way towards the United States; Will the Triad be impacted?
(WGHP) – A plume of dust from the Sahara desert has been traveling across the Atlantic Ocean making its way to the United States over the last few days. NOAA's GOES-19 satellite has been tracking Saharan dust thousands of miles across the Atlantic from May 28 through June 2. It's common to see plumes of dust from the Saharan desert cross the Atlantic. Typically, the dust gets 'kicked up' into the atmosphere over the Sahara in the late spring, summer and early fall as monsoon season gets started just south of the Saharan desert. The peak of the Saharan dust season is in late June to mid-August, just before the peak of hurricane season, which occurs from mid-August through mid-October. One reason the Triad didn't see high impacts from the most recent plume of dust is due to the weather pattern over our area of the country. The coastal low-pressure system that is bringing rain to the Piedmont Triad on Thursday is helping to keep the dust south of us, creating a bigger impact for those to our south, like Florida and even as far west as Texas. Helene's impact on transportation in western North Carolina details in new report Saharan dust is nothing new. It happens every year around this time. When storms form just south of the Sahara Desert in the Sahel region of Africa, dry, dusty air from the Sahara Desert is kicked up into the atmosphere. This dust can collect in the atmosphere about 5,000 to 20,000 feet above the desert in a 2.5-mile-thick layer known as the Saharan Air Layer. Well, in that layer above the surface are the trade winds, also known as the Harmattan wind. The Harmattan wind sends the dust into the African Easterly Jet that blows from the West Coast of Africa to the United States and carries the dust thousands of miles across the ocean. As that dust moves over the Atlantic, it suppresses tropical cyclone development. The suppression of tropical development is due to the dry, strong winds associated with the Saharan dust, and it 'chokes out' any moisture of tropical cyclones that try to develop. Tropical cyclones need warm, moist air, and the dryness of the dust can cut off the supply of warm, moist air and limit tropical cyclone development in the Atlantic as the dust moves across the ocean. While suppressing tropical cyclone development is one of the main ways that Saharan dust impacts weather conditions, it can also have effects across the United States once it arrives. A few of the impacts include lowered air quality, lowered visibility or haziness and more vibrant sunrises or sunsets. Saharan dust particles are very tiny, and, when sun filters through the particles, it scatters the sunlight even more and allows longer wavelength colors like oranges and reds to reach through and be more intense. The result is more vibrant sunrises and sunsets. However, during the day, the dust makes the sky appear hazy and lowers our typical clear visibility of light blue dust particles in the atmosphere also impact our air quality, so those with any respiratory issues will typically be impacted more when the dust has made its way across the Atlantic. The Saharan dust season has just begun and we'll likely see several more rounds of it as we head through the next few months. The FOX8 Max Weather Team will continue to track the Saharan dust as it moves over the Atlantic and will keep you updated with when it'll arrive and what impacts we could see here at home. For more information on the West African Monsoon Season and Saharan dust, catch 'Beyond the Forecast' only available on our . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
WIRED
2 days ago
- WIRED
How to Prepare for a Climate Disaster in Trump's America
Jun 5, 2025 5:30 AM Here's how to find reliable information and keep safe during the summer heat and hurricane season following the unprecedented cuts at federal agencies. A brush fire in Southern California. Photograph:Forecasters within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predict this summer's hurricane season, which started June 1, will be 'above average' in terms of activity. NOAA's temperature outlook, meanwhile, also forecasts hotter-than-usual temperatures across the whole US this summer. But as climate change juices up severe storms and wildfires and makes heat waves even deadlier, cuts at all levels across the US federal government have thrown agencies tasked with preparing the country for disasters—and helping it recover—into chaos. These cuts are already having real impacts for Americans. As of mid-May, amid intense staffing losses at NOAA, four of the National Weather Service's 122 stations around the country no longer had enough personnel to keep an overnight shift going, while several other stations were considering stopping 24/7 forecasting operations. Historically, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) workers have gone door-to-door offering services to citizens in disaster areas, but as WIRED reported last month, the agency is discontinuing this practice this year. FEMA workers have told WIRED that they don't feel the agency is ready for disaster season. Being ready for a disaster has never been more important. WIRED spoke with experts to bring you a guide to how to prepare—and what to look out for. Listen to local authorities Regardless of what's unfolding at the federal level, local- and state-level emergency management departments or agencies are the ones who alert the public and lead the initial response before, during, and after a disaster. Many of these organizations offer text alert systems and post regular updates on social media. Local fire departments and police offices may also maintain social media pages or send out alerts in tandem with these agencies; law enforcement may also announce curfews or other rules during disasters. Follow any warnings from these agencies to shelter, evacuate, or take other actions to stay safe. If you're not sure where to start in terms of seeking information, FEMA maintains a searchable database of disaster resources by state, which includes state and local emergency management agencies. Calling 211 can also help connect you with service providers in your area. Local news organizations often amplify communications from emergency management officials. Local and state politicians—including governors' press offices—can also be a valuable source of information. Know what you need to shelter in place—and what you need to quickly evacuate The Red Cross recommends that people prepare a set of disaster supplies at home as well as a separate, smaller group of supplies in a bag to grab for a quick evacuation. At home, the organization recommends having two weeks' worth of shelf-stable food in case of an emergency. For adequate hydration, the CDC recommends a gallon of water per day for each member of the household for three days. (Don't forget food and water for your pets, too.) Take note of any medical needs in your household and try to keep a backup supply of medications on hand. Batteries, flashlights, a hand-crank or battery-powered radio, a first aid kit, and hygiene items should also make it into your home kit. In your go bag, FEMA recommends packing three days' worth of food and water, physical maps of local areas, a change of clothing, and copies of important documents. According to a checklist from the agency, these should include birth certificates, medical information, copies of your rental contract or home lease and insurance policies, car titles and registration, and banking information, sealed in a waterproof container or bag. Consider adding items specific to your climate or geographic setting (sunscreen for desert conditions or extra layers in colder areas) as well as items specific to your household needs (pet medications, diapers for a baby, etc.). Practice for emergencies 'Knowing your location first and what it could be at risk for is really going to help you prepare' for what could be coming, says Nicole Maul, a national spokesperson for the Red Cross. a FEMA-affiliated resource, currently maintains a list of hazards with safety pointers for each, while FEMA's National Risk Index allows you to see which hazards your county is most exposed to. Practicing emergency scenarios can mean anything from testing out a new hand-cranked radio, to mapping out different exit routes from your area in case main roads are impassable, to coordinating with friends and family about who to touch base with if something happens. Mariel Fonteyn, the director of US emergency response at the disaster-relief nonprofit Americares, recommends writing important phone numbers down on a piece of paper and preparing ahead of time for a scenario where communications might not work as usual. 'If networks are overwhelmed, phone calls won't go through, but text messages will eventually,' she says. 'Depending on what happens with the network, text messages outside of the damaged area tend to go through better. If you have family or a friend who lives in a different state, sometimes everybody messaging to that person will be better than trying to message to each other within the damaged area—if your family's kind of spread all over when a disaster occurs, have everyone know that you all message Grandma to let her know everything is OK.' In some cases, knowing how to safely handle emergency supplies and situations can be the difference between life or death. Fonteyn says that deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning are not uncommon following extended power outages, because of people improperly using generators they are unaccustomed to. 'If you have a generator, make sure that you fully know how to use it safely, and where to put it safely, so that it's not sending fumes into where you're staying,' she says. Never use them inside. Be prepared for how the political climate may affect federal responses after disasters After a disaster hits that's too big for a state to handle on its own, a governor can request a disaster declaration from the White House. This declaration enables FEMA to come to the affected area to coordinate recovery. The declaration also opens up a range of services for survivors, from federal money to help with grants to pay for temporary housing, legal assistance, repairs to homes, and relief from tax bills, as well as help for states to do everything from rebuilding infrastructure to restoring utilities like water and electricity. These declarations, however, can fall prey to political winds. In 2020, it was widely reported that President Donald Trump's personal conflict with Governor Jay Inslee of Washington prevented him from issuing a federal disaster declaration for the state in the wake of devastating wildfires in eastern Washington. Even political allies are now finding it difficult to secure aid: The White House initially denied a disaster declaration request from Arkansas in April following tornadoes and storms this spring, with Trump changing his mind only after a phone call with Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. And with the agency seemingly in turmoil as it enters disaster season—including, as WIRED reported, canceling its strategic plan before it had another in place—it remains to be seen how effective its response will be for approved declarations. FEMA keeps an active list of approved presidential disaster declarations on its website, with links to federal resources for survivors and instructions on how to apply for aid. Keep relying on weather forecasts—but find a trusted source to help interpret them Cuts to NOAA are hitting hard at the National Weather Service, the bedrock of weather forecasting in the United States, which has lost 600 employees since the start of the year. The NWS was already short-staffed before the start of this year, says Alan Gerard, a former director at NOAA's National Severe Storms Lab who left the agency in March. Forcing other offices to stretch to cover monitoring for those with fewer staff, he says, raises the chances of 'human error.' 'If we get into a situation where we have a number of hurricanes or tropical storms threatening the same area, and you have an office that's already depleted with staffing, you're basically increasing the burden on that office,' he says. (In early June, NOAA announced that it would hire back 100 Weather Service employees across the country—an effort Gerard says will take months of precious time during this hurricane season to actually implement.) 'It's not a situation where people need to be panicked that all of a sudden a Category 5 hurricane is just gonna appear and we're not gonna have had any inkling of it,' Gerard says. 'It's more of a situation of, OK, we can't fly as many reconnaissance missions into these hurricanes as we ordinarily do.' Gerard says people should still have confidence in NOAA's systems and its dedicated staff: 'The National Hurricane Center should still be your primary source for hurricane information.' The NWS allows users to sign up for text message alerts. But finding a trusted local meteorologist or weather analyst can help people understand gaps in forecasting or unclear data, in case some forecasts are less comprehensive than they were in the past. Understand your insurance and keep your documentation in order Navigating insurance—especially home insurance—is a headache even in normal times, especially as insurance rates are skyrocketing across the country. Part of making sure that your home is properly insured ahead of a disaster is understanding what, exactly, that insurance covers—and what it doesn't. Flood insurance, for instance, is sold separately from private home insurance, in a federal program run out of FEMA. Usually, only homeowners situated in specific flood zones are required to buy it, even though other regions can be vulnerable: Most people hit by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina last year did not have flood insurance. Land movement insurance—insuring against events like mudslides and earthquates—is not included in most homeowner policies, while condo building insurance usually only covers damages to the exterior of the building, not inside your apartment. Fonteyn recommends keeping photos of the interior of your home—including any expensive items—on your phone to use with your insurance provider or with FEMA's assistance programs. 'A lot of times, insurance and FEMA are looking to restore things to pre-disaster condition,' she says. 'You want to be able to prove the pre-disaster condition was good.' Don't forget about the dangers of heat A study published last year found that heat-related deaths have more than doubled in the US over the past 25 years. Yet extreme heat events have not traditionally been treated as federal disasters, meaning FEMA does not come in to help. During a heat wave, it's best to connect with local emergency management departments for guidance. Both and the CDC currently maintain resource pages with tips on how to prepare for and stay safe during extreme heat events. The CDC resource, however, comes from the CDC's Climate and Health program, which was gutted as part of mass firings at the agency in April. (We've linked to the archived version in case this resource is removed.) Think about your emotional needs—and keep community in mind Fonteyn recommends including activities—knitting, card games, favorite books, toys for children—in go bags. The immediate aftermath of a disaster—especially if you have to stay in an emergency shelter or hotel—can be challenging mentally. 'The hurricane doesn't hit and then a month later everything is back to normal,' she says. 'It takes a lot of time and requires a lot of patience. Ultimately, having these even basic comfort items can go such a long way in protecting your mental health after a disaster, so that you're able to better focus on all of the other needs that you have.' The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) maintains a free helpline for those experiencing mental health crises—although recent cuts at the agency have impacted the helpline's staff. The Red Cross also has a helpline specifically for those recovering from disasters needing emotional support. Above all, experts say that the best disaster plans often start with preparing the community around you. 'Check in with your family, check in with your neighbors, because those'll be the folks who you'll want to stay connected with in the event of an emergency,' says Maul.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Poachers hunting rare ‘ghost' flowers, near extinction
(WJW) — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fears if action isn't taken, the rare ghost orchid could soon be extinct. The FWS is now proposing to list the swamp-dwelling plant as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. Woman dies from brain-eating amoeba in tap water According to experts, the ghost orchid is a flowering plant that is only in Florida and western Cuba. It is described as a leafless plant that attaches itself by its roots high up on trees, making its white blossoms appear to hover in the air and look ghost-like. 'It is one of the most famous flowers in Florida, but its population has declined to fewer than 1,000 plants in the United States. Less than half of those are mature enough to reproduce,' warned the FWS in a press release. Ground beef sold nationwide possibly contaminated with E. Coli Experts report the plant is at risk of extinction due to multiple threats, including habitat loss and habitat degradation. However, poaching is its biggest threat. The Service said it is not proposing critical habitat for the plant out of fear that it would only increase the threat of poaching. CLICK HERE to learn more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
