New England Aquarium releases 10 rehabilitated sea turtles off Cape Cod

Ten sea turtles were released Wednesday evening into the waters off Cape Cod, Mass., in the New England Aquarium's second local beach release of the season. The group included six Kemp's ridleys, two loggerheads, and two green sea turtles, all equipped with a combination of satellite and acoustic tags for researchers to collect data on the animals’ movements.

For the past seven months, staff at the Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy, Mass., treated the hypothermic turtles for a variety of life-threatening medical conditions, including pneumonia, dehydration, and trauma. Staff veterinarians cleared the sea turtles to return to Nantucket Sound from West Dennis Beach.

“Each sea turtle release reminds us of what this rescue and rehabilitation work is all about,” said Adam Kennedy, Director of Rescue and Rehabilitation at the New England Aquarium. “We dedicate months to the turtles' recovery, and sending them back to the ocean is exactly what we work toward. This work is critical to the long-term survival of these species.”

Under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, loggerhead, green, and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are threatened or endangered, facing threats including climate change, ocean pollution, and degradation of their habitats. Rescue and rehabilitation efforts help to conserve these species.

Scientists from the Aquarium’s research arm, the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, worked with the Rescue team to tag the turtles for post-release monitoring. The tags collect information about the turtles’ behavior, habitat use, and survivorship, which helps inform sea turtle conservation and protection efforts, especially in New England where little is known about these species. This season, the team is using a combination of satellite tags for real-time data and acoustic tags for longer-term tracking; some of the turtles will be added to the Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Tracker for the public to follow their journey. This sea turtle work is permitted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through Permit Number ES69328.

“The tracking data we gather after each release helps us better understand and protect these species for the long term,” said Dr. Kara Dodge, research scientist in the Aquarium's Anderson Cabot Center. “Research like this is what allows us to make meaningful, lasting progress for science-based sea turtle conservation.”

Several of the turtles released this week were treated for traumatic fracture injuries that have since healed. “Curlz,” a green sea turtle, sustained a head fracture, while “Buckaroo,” “Leelawadee,” and “Modern Love,” all Kemp's ridley sea turtles, each sustained plastron fractures. “Cavolini,” also a Kemp's ridley, also sustained a fracture injury. Aquarium staff, volunteers, and interns have a tradition of naming the turtles receiving long-term care, with this year’s theme being font-inspired names.

During the 2025 cold-stunning season, the Aquarium treated nearly 500 live sea turtles that were rescued from the shores of Cape Cod from November to December by staff and volunteers with Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Getting these turtles back to full health requires a collaborative effort between biologists, veterinarians and researchers. There are 19 turtles remaining at the Aquarium’s Quincy facility, which will be released off Cape Cod this summer once medically cleared by Aquarium veterinarians.

The New England Aquarium is a nonprofit research and conservation organization that has protected and cared for our ocean and marine animals for more than 55 years. We provide science-based solutions and help shape policies that create measurable change to address threats the ocean faces. We inspire action through discovery and help create engaged, resilient communities.