See photos of critically endangered sea turtles released after rehab on MS Coast

Hannah Ruhoff
·2 min read

Dozens of onlookers watched and cheered as a group of 16 rehabilitated sea turtles swam away as they were released back into the Mississippi Sound on Thursday.

The Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles — the most critically endangered type of sea turtle — had been found cold-stunned in New England. They were part of a group of 40 Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles that arrived at the Mississippi Aquarium in December from the New England Aquarium.

Every year since the aquarium opened in 2020, the Mississippi Aquarium has taken in cold-stunned turtles from New England and rehabilitated them before releasing them into the sound.

Shannon Cords and her children Axton Cords, 3, left, and Lennix Cords, 4, right, look at a Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle before its release back into the Mississippi Sound on Thursday, April 18, 2024. This year the Mississippi Aquarium rehabilitated 40 cold stunned Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles.
Shannon Cords and her children Axton Cords, 3, left, and Lennix Cords, 4, right, look at a Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle before its release back into the Mississippi Sound on Thursday, April 18, 2024. This year the Mississippi Aquarium rehabilitated 40 cold stunned Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles.

“We started in December of 2020, which was only a few months after we opened,” said Dr. Alexa Delaune, Vice President of Veterinary Services and Research for the Mississippi Aquarium. “It was a hard year with COVID, and New England was inundated with turtles, so we jumped to action because we love sea turtles and want to do our best to help them.”

The turtles were flown to Mississippi through a partnership with Turtles Fly Too, an organization that connects volunteer pilots with endangered animals that need transporting.

Cold-stunning is when sea turtles become very weak and have trouble swimming due to exposure to cold temperatures, according to the aquarium. Turtles who get cold stunned can suffer from things like pneumonia or infections and are susceptible to other injuries and illnesses.

The Mississippi Aquarium has taken in about 180 sea turtles in the past four years and released about 150, Delaun said. Of the 40 turtles that the aquarium rehabilitated this year, 16 had already been released before Thursday’s release.

A Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle before it is released into the Mississippi Sound in Biloxi on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
A Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle before it is released into the Mississippi Sound in Biloxi on Thursday, April 18, 2024.

When is the next turtle release?

The sea turtles the Mississippi Aquarium rehabilitates can be symbolically adopted on the aquarium’s website. The website lists the names of the different turtles and what they’re being treated for. The aquarium says the $30 donation goes toward rehabilitation care of the turtles, including veterinary monitoring, medications and nutrition. Sponsors receive a commemorative certificate as well as updates on the Kemp’s Ridley’s rehabilitation and release.

The Mississippi Aquarium posts information about its turtle releases on its Facebook page. Delaune said the next one will likely be in about a month. The turtles will be taken off medication for a month and then checked to make sure they are ready to be released.

Delaune said the aquarium must get permission from the Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA to set a date and time for the release so there is sometimes short notice to the public.

As for the turtles released on Thursday, Delaune had one thing to say: “We hope they go and swim far.”

A rehabilitated Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle is released into the Mississippi Sound in Biloxi on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
A rehabilitated Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle is released into the Mississippi Sound in Biloxi on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
Bransyn Spychala, 4 months old, wears a sea turtle onesie as he looks at a Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle before its release back into the Mississippi Sound on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
Bransyn Spychala, 4 months old, wears a sea turtle onesie as he looks at a Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle before its release back into the Mississippi Sound on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
Dr. Alexa Delaune, Vice President of Veterinary Services and Research for the Mississippi Aquarium, shows off a Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle to onlookers before its release back into the Mississippi Sound on Thursday, April 18, 2024. This year the Mississippi Aquarium rehabilitated 40 cold stunned Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles.
Dr. Alexa Delaune, Vice President of Veterinary Services and Research for the Mississippi Aquarium, shows off a Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle to onlookers before its release back into the Mississippi Sound on Thursday, April 18, 2024. This year the Mississippi Aquarium rehabilitated 40 cold stunned Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles.
A Mississippi Aquarium worker carries a Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle into the water as it is released into Mississippi Sound in Biloxi on Thursday, April 18, 2024. The sea turtles are rehabilitated by the Mississippi Aquarium after suffering from cold stunning and then released.
A Mississippi Aquarium worker carries a Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle into the water as it is released into Mississippi Sound in Biloxi on Thursday, April 18, 2024. The sea turtles are rehabilitated by the Mississippi Aquarium after suffering from cold stunning and then released.
A rehabilitated Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle is released into the Mississippi Sound in Biloxi on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
A rehabilitated Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle is released into the Mississippi Sound in Biloxi on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles wait to be released into the Mississippi Sound on Thursday, April 18, 2024, after rehabilitation. This year the Mississippi Aquarium rehabilitated 40 cold stunned Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles.
Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles wait to be released into the Mississippi Sound on Thursday, April 18, 2024, after rehabilitation. This year the Mississippi Aquarium rehabilitated 40 cold stunned Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles.
Dr. Alexa Delaune, Vice President of Veterinary Services and Research for the Mississippi Aquarium, shows off a Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle to onlookers before its release back into the Mississippi Sound on Thursday, April 18, 2024. This year the Mississippi Aquarium rehabilitated 40 cold stunned Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles.
Dr. Alexa Delaune, Vice President of Veterinary Services and Research for the Mississippi Aquarium, shows off a Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle to onlookers before its release back into the Mississippi Sound on Thursday, April 18, 2024. This year the Mississippi Aquarium rehabilitated 40 cold stunned Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles.
A Mississippi Aquarium worker carries a Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle into the water as it is released into Mississippi Sound in Biloxi on Thursday, April 18, 2024. The sea turtles are rehabilitated by the Mississippi Aquarium after suffering from cold stunning and then released.
A Mississippi Aquarium worker carries a Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle into the water as it is released into Mississippi Sound in Biloxi on Thursday, April 18, 2024. The sea turtles are rehabilitated by the Mississippi Aquarium after suffering from cold stunning and then released.
A Mississippi Aquarium worker releases a rehabilitated Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle into the Mississippi Sound in Biloxi on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
A Mississippi Aquarium worker releases a rehabilitated Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle into the Mississippi Sound in Biloxi on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
A Mississippi Aquarium worker teaches onlookers about Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles before 16 of them are released into the Mississippi Sound in Biloxi on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
A Mississippi Aquarium worker teaches onlookers about Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles before 16 of them are released into the Mississippi Sound in Biloxi on Thursday, April 18, 2024.