Volunteers to the Rescue: Saving a Critically Endangered Turtle

Over the past few years, nonprofits and volunteers have joined hands to save the critically endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle.

“This is a regular occurrence each winter, and we’ve participated in the continued care of these turtles since 2016,” says Shelly Marquardt, Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s veterinarian. “We know that their time in rehabilitation here makes a difference for the future of this endangered species, and we are proud to be able to contribute to their conservation efforts.”

As winter comes and temperatures drop in the Atlantic Ocean, sea turtles instinctively know to head further south in search of warmer waters. Many of them, however, get stuck in the long, curved arm of the Cape Cod peninsula, where their body temperature drops until many of them eventually die. Thanks to an initiative that started a few years ago, more and more turtles are being saved each year thanks to volunteers who help pick up and transport sea turtles to warmer areas. And for those turtles that may need some extra care, veterinarians attempt to warm them up and help them overcome cold-related issues such as pneumonia, dehydration, and fractured shells. 189 Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles were saved in the last couple of months of 2023, an important victory for a species that only has an estimated 7,000 to 9,000 nesting females left in the wild.