GULFPORT, Miss. (WJTV) — The Mississippi Aquarium received 40 sick turtles from the New England Aquarium in Massachusetts on Friday, December 3.
Aquarium staff said the Kemp’s ridley turtles were cold-stunned and showed evidence of pneumonia. Each of them had a physical exam and bloodwork done. All of the turtles were found to be stable, but staff said their condition could change in the first few days. They received antibiotics for pneumonia.
The turtles were flown in by non-profit organization Turtles Fly Too to the aquarium’s off-site research center. The group flies injured turtles to rehabilitation locations.
“It’s an honor to help our colleagues care for these sea turtles, and we are excited to get them healthy so that our community can watch them be released back into the Gulf,” said Mississippi Aquarium Vice President of Veterinary Services Alexa Delaune.
The aquarium has received cold-stunned turtles before from Turtles Fly Too. They were arrived in December 2020 and were released into the Mississippi Sound in July.