After months of rehabilitation at Baltimore's National Aquarium following a dangerous cold snap, nine sea turtles are back in the Atlantic Ocean, each carrying the name of a Baltimore neighborhood.
What happened?
At Ocean City's 40th Street beach access last Thursday morning, several hundred people watched as the National Aquarium's Animal Rescue team released the nine turtles.
The Baltimore Fishbowl reported these nine came from a larger rescue last December off Cape Cod, where 40 turtles were found after frigid water triggered cold stunning, a life-threatening condition that sets in when temperatures fall too low.
Cold stunning can leave turtles dehydrated, malnourished, and struggling to breathe, making them vulnerable to infections and injuries from predators or boat strikes.
The public chose Baltimore neighborhood-inspired names for the animals in a contest last fall.
An earlier release on April 14 sent 29 turtles from the same rescue group into the water from Oak Island, North Carolina.
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One turtle died after arriving at the aquarium, while Patterson Park remains in extended care as staff treats a mycobacterial infection expected to last about three months.
The colder-than-normal winter also kept this group in rehabilitation longer than usual before staff cleared them for release.
Why does it matter?
When turtles become cold-stunned, they often lose the ability to swim or feed properly and can wash ashore in urgent need of help.
Rehabilitation programs are part of a safety net for vulnerable marine animals, especially along busy coastlines where human activity and changing weather patterns can heighten existing risks.
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By naming the turtles after Baltimore neighborhoods and inviting the public to witness the release, the aquarium made wildlife rehabilitation feel local and personal.
What's being done?
The National Aquarium is part of the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network, which helps rescue, triage, and rehabilitate stranded turtles.
The aquarium has operated a year-round Stranding Response Center in Ocean City since 2023 with local government support, using it as a base to help stranded sea turtles and seals along the coast.
The organization is also backing a bipartisan measure, the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act, to provide steadier funding for rescue and rehabilitation programs.
The aquarium's Animal Rescue program does not receive dedicated federal funding for sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation.
People who spot stranded wildlife are asked to keep a safe distance and call the National Aquarium's Animal Stranding Hotline at 410-576-3880.
"We are always so happy to be able to share the release of successfully rehabilitated sea turtles with our community," said Malia Hale, animal rescue director at the National Aquarium. "It's our hope that seeing the turtles up close inspires people to care for our ocean and the animals we share it with."
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