Following a year of recovery and rehabilitation, an endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle is back in the ocean thanks to the enduring dedication of private citizens, volunteers, and wildlife professionals.
In October 2022, Oregon Coast Aquarium (OCAq) staff cared for an Olive Ridley sea turtle that stranded at Horsfall Beach in Coos Bay, Oregon. Lethargic and cold-stunned, newly-dubbed “Pumpkin” required round-the-clock monitoring and treatment.
As marine reptiles, sea turtles rely on their surroundings for warmth. Upon reaching cold waters they become stunned, incapable of eating or navigating. Turtles can float in a cold-stunned state for weeks and often sustain physical injury, infection, and dehydration before washing ashore. Sea turtles can forage the open ocean off Oregon’s shores without issue during the summer—but if they don’t turn south before the weather changes, they risk getting caught in cold currents and winter storms. As such, Oregon sees a marked increase in sea turtle strandings between fall and spring.
Cold-stunned turtles present a unique challenge: to avoid shocking the animal, their body temperature must be raised slowly. Pumpkin arrived at OCAq with a body temp just below 60°F. She was transferred to increasingly warm water baths, raising her body temperature ~5°F per day until it reached ~75°F.
When a stranded turtle is brought to OCAq, staff provide immediate care while coordinating with other wildlife facilities to establish long-term rehabilitation and release plans.
Once Pumpkin was stabilized and cleared for travel, a volunteer pilot with non-profit Turtles Fly Too transported her to SeaWorld San Diego. In the following months, the SeaWorld Rescue team helped Pumpkin build up the strength to swim on her own, getting her to a healthy weight and activity level before her successful return to the ocean.
The Olive Ridley sea turtle is an endangered species–this crucial success is made possible thanks to the collaborative efforts of OCAq, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Turtles Fly Too, and SeaWorld San Diego and Rescue. OCAq will continue these efforts knowing that even one saved animal can help species recovery.
