Nine Baltimore-themed Rehabilitated Sea Turtles Make Their Way Back Into the Waves at Ocean City

The National Aquarium Animal Rescue team is one step closer to the close of another successful animal rescue season with the release of nine rehabilitated sea turtles from the 40th Street beach access in Ocean City, Maryland. Several hundred observers gathered on the beach to wish the turtles well on their return to the ocean this morning at a public release event.

These turtles—nicknamed for Baltimore neighborhoods St. Paul, Fells Point, Glen, Mount Vernon, Hamilton, Cherry Hill, Little Italy, Lakeland and Brooklyn—were amongst 40 that arrived at the National Aquarium after being rescued from the cooling waters off Cape Cod last December. Baltimoreans assisted Aquarium Animal Rescue and Animal Health teams in naming the new arrivals after Baltimore neighborhoods through a naming contest last fall. Twenty-nine sea turtles from the original 40 were released from Oak Island, NC, on April 14; one turtle passed upon arrival at the Aquarium in the fall, and one continues to receive long-term care at the Aquarium's off-exhibit rehab pool.

"We are always so happy to be able to share the release of successfully rehabilitated sea turtles with our community," said Director of Animal Rescue Malia Hale. "Public releases allow Aquarium members and friends to see the results of the rehab work that we undertake each year. It's our hope that seeing the turtles up close inspires people to care for our ocean and the animals we share it with."

Turtles like these who were rescued after cold stunning in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, as water temperatures plummeted in the late fall often require treatment for complications such as respiratory difficulties, dehydration, malnutrition, injuries from predators or boat strikes, and various infections, and are triaged to organizations like the National Aquarium who participate in the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN). The one turtle remaining in the Aquarium's care—Patterson Park—is being treated for a recently detected mycobacterial infection, a course of treatment that typically takes about three months. Because this winter was colder than normal both in our immediate region and along the East Coast, this season's crop of rehabilitating turtles stayed at the Aquarium longer than is typically expected.

As they recover and grow, each animal in the care of the Animal Health and Rescue teams is assessed by Aquarium staff before being cleared for release back to the ocean by our partners at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as soon as possible so that their natural foraging and migrating instincts remain intact. In order to be considered eligible for release, each turtle must be fully recovered from any injuries and infections, and able to swim and forage for food independently. NOAA plays a crucial role in overseeing the STSSN, which helps coordinate emergency response and data collection with partners like the National Aquarium.

Along the east coast, experts attribute increased numbers of turtles impacted by cold stunning over the past decade to increasing ocean temperatures which encourage sea turtles to migrate further north than they historically might have. When impacted by cold stunning, young turtles can become disoriented and easily entrapped in the geographic features of the coastline, such as the "hook" of Cape Cod. Despite the onslaught of cases requiring treatment each year, the National Aquarium Animal Rescue program receives no dedicated federal funding for sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation. The National Aquarium supports the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act, a bipartisan bill that would allow for more stable and sustainable funding for rehab programs, ensuring the return of more rehabilitated endangered sea turtles to the ocean.

With the support of local government, the National Aquarium has maintained a year-round Stranding Response Center in Ocean City since 2023. The center, named in honor of longtime animal rescue volunteer Ellen and Chuck Erbe, provides a base for Eastern Shore rescue and triage activities for seals and sea turtles that strand along the coast. The Aquarium encourages the community to support marine life by reporting stranded animals to the National Aquarium's Animal Stranding Hotline at 410-576-3880 while maintaining a safe distance from wildlife on beaches.