Cold-stunned sea turtle fooled rescuers before DNA test revealed a rare hybrid

What seemed to be another critically endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle rescued from Massachusetts' icy waters turned out to be something far more unusual after DNA testing. 

The turtle, nicknamed Earl Grey, has since been returned to the ocean after months of rehabilitation.

What happened?

Earl Grey was one of nine sea turtles found in Brewster, Massachusetts, last November after freezing conditions left the creatures cold-stunned and sick, according to Good Good Good.

The turtles first went to the New England Aquarium before being flown roughly 1,000 miles to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center for longer-term treatment. Jaynie L. Gaskin, the center's director, had been told the group included eight Kemp's ridleys and one loggerhead, but when they arrived, the turtle thought to be the loggerhead blended in much more than expected.

A closer veterinary exam showed that Earl Grey had an unusual combination of traits, including a hooked beak more typical of a Kemp's ridley and a shell shape that did not fully fit a loggerhead, as shown in a Facebook video posted by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.

Staff then sent Earl Grey's blood to researchers at the University of Georgia for testing.

"Just as rehabilitation was nearing completion, the genetic test results arrived," Gaskin said, according to Good Good Good. "Earl Grey was confirmed to be a first‑generation hybrid — with a loggerhead father and a Kemp's Ridley mother — the first hybrid sea turtle ever treated at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center." 

Why does the discovery matter?

"From an evolutionary perspective, hybridization could be one of many ways genetic diversity is introduced into a population," Gaskin posited in an interview with Popular Science. 

"We encourage other rehabilitation facilities to consider genetic testing for any suspected hybrid sea turtles, as there may be more individuals than we currently realize!"

Earl Grey returned to Georgia waters in a private release on May 28 as the staff cheered him on. 

What are people saying?

Commenters on the video of Earl Grey found the turtle adorable and the discovery interesting. 

"I had no idea different types could breed," one said. "This is so very cool!"

"I've heard of this, but I've never seen an example," another added. "Go, Earl Grey!"

"Congratulations, you're crushing it and making waves in the sea turtle community," stated one more.

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