A Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, found stranded in Europe, was safely returned to the Gulf of Mexico in early November, marking a remarkable journey across the Atlantic.
The juvenile turtle, entangled in fishing nets off the southwestern coast of the Netherlands in late 2023, was discovered by a commercial fishing vessel. It was identified as a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii), one of the smallest and most endangered sea turtle species. Typically found in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and along the eastern North American coast, the turtle’s unexpected journey to Europe has sparked concern among biologists.
Experts from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) believe the turtle likely veered off course due to unusually warm waters in the Atlantic, which carried it across the ocean. The turtle was then pushed by strong currents into the colder waters of Europe. Sea turtles, being cold-blooded, are at risk of “cold-stunning” when water temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, rendering them immobile and vulnerable to pneumonia, predators, or death.
Mary Kay Skoruppa, the USFWS Sea Turtle Coordinator for Texas, explained: “Once they get too cold, they can’t move. They usually float to the surface and are at risk of pneumonia. They may either succumb to exposure or fall prey to predators, unable to escape.”
The turtle, named “Boeier” after the commercial vessel that first discovered it, was taken to the Rotterdam Zoo for medical care. The zoo oversaw its rehabilitation while USFWS biologists worked to secure the necessary permits through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to bring Boeier back to the United States.
Skoruppa highlighted the importance of following strict regulations when dealing with endangered species: “With endangered species, there are a lot of requirements to follow. You can’t just walk across a border with an endangered species.”
The Rotterdam Zoo’s curator, Mark de Boer, had contacted Skoruppa after connecting with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Since Kemp’s ridley sea turtles primarily nest in the Gulf of Mexico, Skoruppa’s team in Texas is responsible for managing recovery efforts for the species.
This incident follows a similar event in 2022, when the Anglesey Sea Zoo in North Wales cared for another cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley named Tally. Skoruppa assisted in releasing Tally back into the wild off the coast of Galveston, Texas, in 2023.
Skoruppa expressed cautious optimism: “We’re using a ‘wait and see’ approach to determine if these strandings in Europe become a regular occurrence. If so, we’ll need to develop a strategy for dealing with this complex situation.”
This growing issue isn’t limited to Europe. In the United States, cold-stunning events have increased dramatically. NOAA Fisheries reports that 739 sea turtles were cold-stunned in Massachusetts over the past five years, compared to just 139 over the previous two decades. The warming of the Gulf of Maine and Cape Cod Bay is believed to be a contributing factor, drawing more turtles into the area, where they can become trapped by the bay’s hook shape and face dangerously cold waters in the winter.
De Boer accompanied Boeier on its transatlantic flight to Houston, where USFWS inspectors cleared the turtle before it was transferred to the Houston Zoo for further care. The Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research at Texas A&M University at Galveston led the turtle’s release into the Gulf of Mexico on November 4, attaching a satellite transmitter to track its movements.
For those interested in tracking Boeier’s journey, updates are available through the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research’s Facebook page.
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