What are we doing now?

On August 18, we are releasing 23 Kemp’s ridley turtles,

22 of which were found offshore, moderately to heavily

oiled. The other turtle was found on shore, and though

not oiled, was debilitated and underwent rehabilitation.

Why are we releasing the turtles now?

The goal with any wild animal taken into captivity for

care and treatment is to release it to its natural habitat as

soon as possible. The turtles have been treated and cared

for, and are healthy and ready for release.

From where were they rescued?

The 22 oiled turtles rescued

from offshore waters were

found between 40 and 60

nautical miles offshore of

Destin, Florida (11 turtles) and

Venice, Louisiana (11 turtles).

The turtle that stranded on

shore was found in the Florida panhandle.

Who rescued the turtles?

All were rescued by teams working under the direction of

the Wildlife Branch within Unified Command. These

teams consist of dedicated sea turtle biologists from

NOAA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Fish and

Wildlife Conservation Commission, Georgia Department

of Natural Resources, U.S. Geological Survey, Riverhead

Foundation, and In-Water Research Group. They have

been supported by an expert

group of captains and crews

working within the Vessel of

Opportunity program.

Where were they rehabilitated?

All previously oiled turtles being released today were

cleaned of oil, treated, and cared for at The Audubon

Aquarium in New Orleans and Gulf World in Panama

City, Florida. After initial care and stabilization, they

were moved to secondary rehabilitation facilities – Sea

World Florida, Mote Marine Laboratory, and the Florida

Aquarium. Other facilities assisting in this effort include

the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulfarium,

Clearwater Aquarium, and Disney’s Living Seas.

Where will they be released and why there?

They will be released offshore of Cedar Key, Florida,

back into the Gulf of Mexico. These turtles are at the size

at which they transition from an oceanic to a nearshore

life stage, and the Cedar Key area is home to many of this

size and age.

How clean is the prey and habitat where they will

be released?

There is no evidence that oil from the Deepwater Horizon

incident ever entered the habitat in Cedar Key. The

habitat is healthy, supports a healthy population of

Kemp’s ridleys and will provide all the elements required

for their survival and growth.

Are these turtles tagged?

All of the turtles had internal tags placed in a flipper.

These Passive Integrated Transponders (PIT tags) are the

same kind veterinarians place in dogs and cats. All

turtles found stranded or captured during directed sea

turtle research programs are scanned for PIT tags,

providing a way to identify turtles throughout their life.

What is known about the life history of Kemp's

ridley turtles?

Kemp’s ridleys are one of five sea turtle species found in

the Gulf of Mexico, and have been listed as endangered

under the Endangered Species Act since 1973. Juvenile

and adult Kemp’s ridleys are found in U.S and Mexican

waters in the Gulf of Mexico, and along the Atlantic coast

as far north as Massachusetts.

Young turtles use Sargassum habitat in offshore waters,

but transition to spent most of their lives in shallow

waters, where they feed mostly on crabs. They nest

primarily along the northeast coast of Mexico, with some

nesting in southern Texas. After migrating to nesting

areas, they are known to return to foraging areas. Kemp’s

ridleys do not get as big as other sea turtles, but reach

maturity earlier (approximately 12 years). While there is

no way to directly age sea turtles, we estimate based on

size that the turtles released today are 1-3 years old. We

do not know how long Kemp’s ridleys live.

How does oil harm turtles?

Young turtles use highly

productive areas where ocean

currents meet, known as

surface converage zones. Here,

the marine algae Sargassum

grows and thrives at the surface, providing feeding and

sheltering habitat. Oil has also collected in these zones,

leading many of these small, young turtles to come into

direct contact with oil. Oil covering their bodies can

interfere with breathing, coat the eyes and skin, and can

cause them to become stuck in the oil. Oil ingested

directly or when eating oiled prey items may interfere

with digestion or cause internal organ damage.

Are you still finding turtles in need of rescue/

rehabilitation?

Since early in the spill, we

have searched for turtles

offshore and onshore. In

recent weeks, the number

of turtles requiring rehabilitative care has declined.

We are now finding unoiled turtles in places

where, before mid-July, only oiled turtles were

found. Those we find with evidence of oiling are

lightly or very lightly oiled. The convergence areas we

are examining now contain living, unoiled prey, with

turtles actively feeding and behaving normally in most

cases. Most turtles found offshore now are quickly

examined by wildlife teams and released to their habitat.

What are the other threats to Kemp’s ridleys?

The primary threat to the species is incidental capture in

commercial and recreational fisheries, primarily by trawls

not equipped with Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) and

gillnets. A significant number are also caught on hook

and line gear used on piers. The historically significant

threat posed by poaching of eggs and nesting turtles has

been greatly reduced by strong efforts by Mexico and

the U.S.

Where can I find the latest figures on sea turtle

strandings and captures?

See the fish and Wildlife Report at

http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com or visit

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/health/oilspill.htm.

Learn more about NOAA’s response to the BP oil spill at

http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/deepwaterhorizon.

To learn more about NOAA, visit http://www.noaa.gov.

August 17, 2010