Latest news with #Kemp's
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Virginia Aquarium responded to record number of sea turtle hypothermia cases this season
A small crowd gathered Friday morning to watch Basset Hound scoot toward the shore north of the Virginia Beach resort area. Basset Hound, a young loggerhead sea turtle, had not touched the water in four months. On Jan. 5, members of the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center's stranding response team received the call that the turtle had been stranded in Portsmouth. Back at the Darden Marine Animal Conservation Center, staff found that the turtle's internal temperature was 41 degrees Fahrenheit, a concerning sign since a healthy temperature for the species is about 75 degrees. Basset Hound was cold-stunned. When the sea-water temperature drops to about 55 degrees, sea turtles can be 'cold-stunned,' a type of hypothermia, said research scientist Joanna Daniel, and for Basset Hound, pneumonia had already begun to set in. In other cases, it's common to see sepsis or other secondary infections. 'Their organs are shutting down,' Daniel said of the rescued turtles. 'Sometimes their heart rate can be, like, one beat in a few minutes. You may not be seeing them breathe at all, so they really look dead. They're totally limp.' This year, the team responded to 77 cold-stunned sea turtles from November 2024 to early 2025, a record-breaking year. Last year, the team responded to just 31 cold-stunned sea turtles stranded in the 2023-2024 season and 25 during the winter of 2022-2023. During stranding calls this winter, 27 live turtles were admitted for rehabilitation at the center, and each turtle received a name based on a theme picked at beginning of the season. This year's theme was dog breeds. Team members cared for 15 green sea turtles, six loggerhead sea turtles and six critically endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtles. Many of these turtles arrived non-responsive and in critical condition, according to the team. Eight did not respond to emergency intervention and died within the first few hours of being admitted to the rehabilitation facility. With Basset Hound back in the ocean, it's another success story for the team. It's the 18th turtle release of the season, with the others returning to the water in Florida and North Carolina. Now, there are only two turtles left at the center. 'It's been really rewarding, because we've gotten to release a lot of the turtles back into the water like (Basset Hound),' Daniel said. 'But it's certainly been a lot of work and resource load on our staff.' Daniel said beachgoers should always call the response team about stranded sea animals to give them the best chance for survival. The hotline, 757-385-7575, is monitored 24/7, and supporters can also donate to the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center Foundation, which supports the team's staff and volunteers with donations. Eliza Noe,
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Florida officials announce record year for certain threatened sea turtle nests
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has finalized its sea turtle nest count for 2024, with great news for some species. Here are the final numbers: Green Turtles: 14,308 Loggerheads: 110,122 Leatherbacks: 1,799 Kemp's Ridleys: 34 Hawksbills: 0 [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] These numbers are especially critical for loggerhead sea turtles and green turtles, which increasingly rely on Florida for nesting grounds. FWC says Florida beaches host around 90% of all loggerhead nests in the Southeast United States and about 40% of them worldwide. Officials say last season had a solid turnout,. Green turtle nesting numbers were lower than last year, but that was expected -- Last year set a new record. The number of Kemp's ridley nests is significant, despite the number being far behind the rest. This is a new record for the state, and a positive sign for the most endangered species of sea turtle. There were just 10 recorded in 2023 and 8 in 2022, according to FWC data. At the end of nesting season in October, St. Johns County recorded 4 Kemp's ridley turtles on its beaches. The first Kemp's ridley sea turtle nest recorded in St. Johns County was in 2015, after conservationist attempts to expand their nesting grounds. Sea turtle conservationists have raised concerns about the status of the animals in 2025, however. When water temperatures drop to the low 50s or below, sea turtles can become cold-stressed, which causes them to become lethargic and possibly stranded on shore. Related: Doctors at St. Johns County sea turtle hospital saw highest influx of sea turtles in January The Florida Aquarium announced Thursday that it had reached capacity for sea turtle rescues as record numbers of cold-stressed patients arrived at its rehabilitation center in Apollo Beach. Officials say they now have 56, which is the highest number recorded at one time. 'This is one of the earliest and most severe cold-stress events we've ever seen,' said Dr. Debi Luke, Senior Vice President of Conservation at The Florida Aquarium. 'We usually see strandings peak between late February and April, but we're already at full capacity, and more turtles are continuing to struggle.' Cold stress is also a leading cause of death for Florida's threatened manatees. Related: 565 manatees were reported dead in Florida last year: Here's what we've learned If you see a washed-up sea turtle, St. Johns County officials say to never push them back into the ocean. Instead, you're encouraged to call the FWC Wildlife Hotline. To call, dial 888-404-3922. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Florida officials announce record year for certain threatened sea turtle nests
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has finalized its sea turtle nest count for 2024, with great news for some species. Here are the final numbers: Green Turtles: 14,308 Loggerheads: 110,122 Leatherbacks: 1,799 Kemp's Ridleys: 34 Hawksbills: 0 [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] These numbers are especially critical for loggerhead sea turtles and green turtles, which increasingly rely on Florida for nesting grounds. FWC says Florida beaches host around 90% of all loggerhead nests in the Southeast United States and about 40% of them worldwide. Officials say last season had a solid turnout,. Green turtle nesting numbers were lower than last year, but that was expected -- Last year set a new record. The number of Kemp's ridley nests is significant, despite the number being far behind the rest. This is a new record for the state, and a positive sign for the most endangered species of sea turtle. There were just 10 recorded in 2023 and 8 in 2022, according to FWC data. At the end of nesting season in October, St. Johns County recorded 4 Kemp's ridley turtles on its beaches. The first Kemp's ridley sea turtle nest recorded in St. Johns County was in 2015, after conservationist attempts to expand their nesting grounds. Sea turtle conservationists have raised concerns about the status of the animals in 2025, however. When water temperatures drop to the low 50s or below, sea turtles can become cold-stressed, which causes them to become lethargic and possibly stranded on shore. Related: Doctors at St. Johns County sea turtle hospital saw highest influx of sea turtles in January The Florida Aquarium announced Thursday that it had reached capacity for sea turtle rescues as record numbers of cold-stressed patients arrived at its rehabilitation center in Apollo Beach. Officials say they now have 56, which is the highest number recorded at one time. 'This is one of the earliest and most severe cold-stress events we've ever seen,' said Dr. Debi Luke, Senior Vice President of Conservation at The Florida Aquarium. 'We usually see strandings peak between late February and April, but we're already at full capacity, and more turtles are continuing to struggle.' Cold stress is also a leading cause of death for Florida's threatened manatees. Related: 565 manatees were reported dead in Florida last year: Here's what we've learned If you see a washed-up sea turtle, St. Johns County officials say to never push them back into the ocean. Instead, you're encouraged to call the FWC Wildlife Hotline. To call, dial 888-404-3922. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
