Aquarium of the Pacific Cares for Rescued Loggerhead Sea Turtle in Hopes of Returning It to the Wild

August 1, 2024

August 1, 2024, Long Beach, California—A loggerhead sea turtle was rescued near Avila Beach, California, on June 17, 2024, by The Marine Mammal Center’s San Luis Obispo Operations based in Morro Bay, California. The turtle was transferred to the Aquarium of the Pacific where its veterinary and animal husbandry staff members have been aiding its recovery.

“Upon arrival, this sea turtle was hypothermic, in poor body condition with flipper wounds and eye ulcers, and dehydrated. We also took x-rays that showed that the turtle had a mild pneumonia,” said Dr. Brittany Stevens, Aquarium of the Pacific veterinarian. The veterinary team began immediate care. The turtle was warmed slowly to a normal temperature, started on antibiotics, received fluids, eye ointment, and wound treatment.

The sea turtle is approximately 22 inches in length and weighs around 50 pounds. It is a subadult and is estimated to be between ten and fifteen years old. “We have been giving the sea turtle a daily diet of mixed restaurant-quality seafood to help improve its strength and restore it to a healthy body condition,” Stacy Hammond, Aquarium of the Pacific aquarist.

The Marine Mammal Center in Morro Bay transferred the rescued sea turtle to the Aquarium with authorization from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Fisheries office for a medical evaluation and care because of the Aquarium’s expertise in treating and releasing stranded and injured sea turtles.

The Aquarium of the Pacific has rehabilitated and released sea turtles since 2000. Some have been fitted with satellite tracking devices that allowed scientists to gather data about their migration patterns and habitats. Loggerhead sea turtles have a wide habitat range, so the status of this species is determined by specific regions. In the northern Pacific Ocean, loggerhead sea turtles are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, according to NOAA. All loggerhead sea turtles are currently threatened or endangered and are protected under the Endangered Species Act. The last rescued loggerhead sea turtle brought to the Aquarium was rehabilitated and released back into the ocean in November 2015. The Aquarium recently rehabilitated and released a rescued green sea turtle in May 2024.