Rehabilitated sea turtles released back into ocean at Jones Beach
Members and volunteers of the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society in the Hamptons helped rescue the turtles that were cold stunned.
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Endangered sea turtles that were rehabilitated on Long Island returned Wednesday to their natural habitat.
Eight sea turtles were released back into the Atlantic Ocean at Jones Beach.
Members and volunteers of the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society in the Hamptons helped rescue the turtles that were cold stunned.
The reptiles became hypothermic because of severe cold weather over the winter when they were rescued in Cape Cod. If water temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, sea turtles become lethargic and are unable to swim.
The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society is one of two organizations in all of New York that is able to do this kind of rehabilitation.
Rob Giovanni, of the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, says assess the turtles’ health by drawing blood and treating any wounds that need to be taken care of.
“Then from there, we work with our veterinarian staff and know what the best course of action is and get them up to operation speed and eat on their own,” DiGiovanni says.
Satellite tags were placed on two of the sea turtles to monitor their activity in the ocean.
There is still one other sea turtle that is going through rehabilitation.
