New England Sea turtle strandings starting early

Sea turtle strandings are common on New England beaches in the fall as plummeting water temperatures bring “cold-stunned” turtles to shore. But biologists say an unusually high number of sea turtles have already turned up on Massachusetts beaches, according to the Associated Press. The season doesn’t usually start until mid-November, but already 42 live Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, (Lepidochelys kempii) one dead Kemp’s ridley and one dead green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) have turned up, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA says Massachusetts sees about 600 cold-stunned endangered sea turtles each year. Rescued turtles are treated at the New England Aquarium’s Animal Care Center.

Read more from the Associated Press here.