Young Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Returning Home After Successful Rehabilitation at The Florida Aquarium

May 15, 2024

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Apollo Beach, FL (May 15, 2024) – After five months of dedicated care at The Florida Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center, a juvenile Kemp’s ridley sea turtle named Sergeant is ready to return to the turtle’s ocean home. Sergeant, who stranded in Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts, in cold weather and water temperatures in November 2023, was flown to Florida for the intensive treatment needed to recover.

Upon arriving at the Aquarium in early December, along with seven other Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, Sergeant was found to be cold stunned. Prolonged exposure to the cold left the turtle debilitated, suffering from a serious bone infection in a front flipper.

Throughout rehabilitation, Sergeant received extensive medical care, including antibiotics and laser treatments. Now, the turtle is ready to be released off the coast of Jacksonville, back into the Atlantic Ocean to make the journey home.

Alyssa Fessett, Senior Biologist at The Florida Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center, shared her pride and enthusiasm. “It’s a really exciting moment for all of us here—staff, volunteers, and interns—who have spent hours working with each one of these individual animals. On a release day, once they go out and you see them take that first breath over a wave, it’s a really magical moment where all of your hard work makes it worthwhile.”

Sergeant’s remarkable recovery is a collaborative effort among partners including the New England Aquarium, Turtles Fly Too, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Florida Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center is currently rehabilitating 27 green sea turtles and at the peak of the season had 55 animals in its program—a record number for the rehabilitation center.

Please note: All marine turtle footage taken in Florida was obtained with the approval of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) under conditions not harmful to marine turtles. Footage was acquired while conducting authorized conservation activities pursuant to FWC MTP-24-179.