Trio of turtles treated at Oregon Coast Aquarium

Published 9:35 am Tuesday, January 5, 2016

NEWPORT — A very mature 63-pound male olive ridley sea turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea, stranded just south of Long Beach on Dec. 20, has died at the Oregon Coast Aquarium’s animal rehabilitation facility.

A mature 82-pound female of the same species was rescued near Del Rey Beach, just north of Gearhart, on Dec. 21, according to a press release from the aquarium.

The pair of endangered reptiles were transported to the aquarium for treatment. With body temperatures of just 52 degrees Fahrenheit, far below the ideal of 75, the turtles were cold-shocked.

An initial assessment found the male had sustained a wound to his head and was hypothermic. His responsiveness continued to slow. Despite the aquarium staff’s best efforts, he died on Dec. 23.

The female, now named Thunder, is showing progress and as of Dec. 29 was swimming in a pool. Her body temperature had climbed to 70 degrees.

Another rescued sea turtle, named Lightning, continues to recover at the aquarium. She reached her ideal 75 degree body temperature on Dec. 23. The 48-pound turtle is now eating daily, and was spotted snoozing at the bottom of her pool — a sign that her own buoyancy issue is improving.

Despite Lightning’s and Thunder’s improvements, their prognosis remains guarded. They will, at a minimum, require months of rehabilitation before they are healthy enough to be released in their warmer, native waters.

Olive ridley turtles from the Pacific coast of Mexico, where these turtles likely originated, are classified as endangered.

The Oregon Coast Aquarium and Seattle Aquarium are the only rehabilitation facilities in the Pacific Northwest authorized by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to provide the specialized care sea turtles require.