By Karen Sota

We haven’t seen a lot of activity with local cold-stuns, but any critter that hasn’t made tracks out of Dodge by now is living on the edge. The water and air temps have dropped way below sea turtle comfy. All it takes is a few consecutive days of exposure to cold air and water for these cold-blooded reptiles to get themselves in a heap of trouble.

Turtles still hanging around the inshore waters might be here for several reasons. The long, warm fall meant there was still plenty of good eating, and they were so engaged in lunch that they ignored the cues that the waters were cooling. Or this might be their first year in from their nursery grounds in the Sargasso Sea. There’s something to be said for experience, even if you’re a sea turtle. Sometimes they are already debilitated by another event and just don’t have the strength to migrate. In any case cold-stunning is a life-threatening condition and the little guys are usually the first to suffer.

We admit frigid turtles in all sorts of body conditions. Most of them have been battered by the wind, surf and sand and have obvious damage, especially to their unprotected areas like flippers and eyes. They are so cold they cannot move, so they just lie where they strand, subject not only to the elements but also predators like gulls and canines. They often come with a heavy load of barnacles and algae, neither of which is a good look for a sea turtle.

Treatment begins with a slow warm-up in one of two rooms where we can regulate the temperature to prevent sending them into shock. This can take several days, during which time they are pretty much just hanging out defrosting and being treated with fluids and cautionary antibiotics. Once we feel they can tolerate at least some water we introduce food. Getting a cold-stun to begin eating again can be difficult. Our staff has no hesitation about literally crawling along the floor from tank to tank, dangling fish, shrimp and squid from feeders. Or sitting with a turtle for hours trying to convince it to at least try a bite.

Cold-stunning takes a toll on the inside too, damaging organs and bones. It’s not unusual for a turtle that seems to be recovering quite nicely to suddenly start rasping with pneumonia or quit moving a flipper because of bone lesions. Some of our patients have spent years in rehab after developing complications. Recently released greens Rosemary and Belle were two examples. Thankfully almost every cold-stun eventually goes home.

So, what do you do if you see a turtle that has washed up on the beach or in our marshy areas or is in the water floating motionlessly? First, don’t assume it is dead. They literally can’t move, maybe not even blink. Whether the turtle is big or small immediately call our Director of Beach Operations, Terry Meyer at: 910-470-2880. If she is not available, call the hospital during operating hours: 910-329-0222. If the turtle is below the high tide line and in danger of washing out, move it above the high tide line if you can do so safely. Ideally you should remain with the turtle until our trained volunteers arrive to retrieve it. If that is not possible find a way to indicate the location of the turtle on the beach by drawing large arrows in the sand or placing beach debris nearby. The State of NC hotline for stranded, sick and injured turtles is 252-241-7367. The state number picks up 24/7. All conservation work for endangered sea turtles at KBSTRRC and on Topsail Island is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, ES Permit 22ST05.

We are officially closed to the public for the year. Depending on our patient load we may be able to open for tours sporadically after the first of the year. Keep an eye on the Visit page of our website  for any updates Our gift shop is open year-round online so you can still find all kinds of cool turtle-themed merchandise, much of it exclusive to us. And if you’re looking for something for those impossible-to-buy-for relatives and friends, consider adopting one of our patients.

By Karen Sota

The cold-stuns are here. Every year, as soon as the holidays roll around, we know that any number of the turtles that strand along Cape Cod will be headed our way. On December 2nd fifteen defrosted critters reached the finish line at our hospital. It was a long and complicated journey, taking the efforts of a very experienced group of “turtle travel agents.” Initially rescued by the Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary they were triaged at the New England Aquarium and the National Marine Life Center. After receiving their seat assignments (banana boxes for all) and boarding passes they were flown to North Carolina by Turtles Fly Too, thanks to arrangements made by NOAA Fisheries New England/Mid Atlantic. Once on the ground in Beaufort, NC they headed down the road to CMAST (NC State University Center for Marine Sciences and Technology in Morehead City) where they were checked over by their vets and biologists from NCWRC. Finally, they arrived at our hospital late in the day on Friday. What a trip – literally.

We were ready for them. We advised Snooki, who is still enjoying her vacation in our therapy pool in Sick Bay, that she would be getting a lot of new roomies. Once the banana boxes were opened we found that we had 8 greens and 7 Kemp’s. That’s really an unusual mix for us. In previous years it’s been all Kemp’s, every time. Apparently, this year the greens found something interesting enough in Cape Cod Bay that they decided to party with the Kemp’s until the curtain came down. In any case, all these little guys are adorable, especially tiny “Tulip” who weighs only I kg.

Our dedicated volunteers worked into the night, assigning names to each turtle and settling them into individual tanks where they have already begun their rehabilitation. And these are some of the best Crayola names of the year. We’re wondering if “Screamin’ Green” and “Banana Banana” are going to live up to their handles. Stay tuned for more information on some of the more “colorful” individuals and follow their progress on our social media sites.

We’re officially in cold stun season now so please BOLO for turtles in trouble. If you see a turtle that’s been injured, cold-stunned or stranded for any reason call our Director of Beach Operations, Terry Meyer at: 910-470-2880. If she is not available, you may call the hospital during operating hours: 910-329-0222. We will take the information and send trained volunteers to retrieve the turtle. The State of NC hotline for stranded, sick and injured turtles is 252-241-7367. The state number picks up 24/7. All conservation work for endangered sea turtles at KBSTRRC and on Topsail Island is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, ES Permit 22ST05.

You still have a few opportunities to visit us in 2022. We’re open for tours December 8, 14 and 17. Check the Visit page here on our website for times as they vary. And we still require ticket purchases in advance on our site. Our gift shop is jam-packed with all kinds of merchandise for turtle lovers, and of course you can adopt one of our patients for those impossible-to-buy-for relatives and friends. You can shop during those days without taking the tour.

Celebrate sea turtles all year long with our 2023 calendar! Featuring photos of current and recent patients, photos from the beach, and photos from behind the scenes in our sea turtle hospital, the calendar also includes fun facts and information about sea turtles. Click here to purchase.