Hundreds of sea turtles are stranded in Cape Cod each year. An ‘amazing network’ has mobilized to help

Each year, hundreds of sea turtles become stranded on the beaches of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. An extensive network of conservationists, volunteers, and veterinarians has emerged to rescue and rehabilitate these endangered creatures. One such patient at the New England Aquarium's Sea Turtle Hospital is a turtle named Lucky, who is one of 473 "cold-stunned" sea turtles found stranded on Cape Cod beaches during the months of November and December.

Lucky, a young Kemp's ridley sea turtle, was found in a state of extreme hypothermia and has been undergoing rehabilitation since December 1st. The aquarium's senior veterinarian, Kathy Tuxbury, reported that Lucky is in good shape and will undergo a pre-release evaluation before being released back into the wild during the last days of August or early September.

The increased number of stranded sea turtles is attributed to the rapid warming of the Gulf of Maine, which has created a "hotspot for mass stranding of sea turtles" on Cape Cod beaches. Conservationists patrol the beaches during the winter months, using specially trained staff and volunteers to search for turtles in cold shock and transport them to the hospital in banana boxes.

The hospital staff then conducts a medical evaluation, warming the turtles up and reintroducing them to sea water over several days. The surviving turtles are then either released back into the ocean or transported to rehabilitation centers along the east coast and Gulf of Mexico for further care.