The near 50 pound baby female olive ridley turtle discovered on December 21st, is enjoying her new water home. Not so little Solstice the turtle was found washed ashore the Long Beach Peninsula last month. There she was in poor health, suffering from dehydration and lowered body temperatures. Solstice was transported to the Oregon Coast Aquarium where she has been closely observed for any additional health issues. It seems with some TLC the turtle is enjoying her new abode, recovering from dehydration and even an increase of body temperature by 12 degrees.
The species of turtle thrives in tropical waters, from California to Peru. They face death when carried away from their homes during storms, ending up in colder environments. When the warm water fades, the turtles face hypothermia and unless found and taken care of, they will die.
Even though Solstice is considered a baby at nearly 50 pounds, the olive ridley turtles are considered small compared to other sea turtles. They usually end their growth around 2.5-feet in length and max out around 110 pounds. Erin Paxton, speaking on behalf of the Oregon Coast Aquarium was happy to share the news of Solstice’s recovery time, which is better than they expected. Solstice is receiving plenty of fluids, hydration baths and even practice swims to get her up and running 100 percent.
Image credit with permission: Oregon Coast Aquarium
While the news is good, Solstice still remains high risk, her caretakers are working around the clock to provide her fluids to continually raise her body temperature. If Solstice conquers this hurdle, she will face months of rehabilitation before a move into the wild and warm home she originally stemmed from.
Paxton shared the team will find turtles on their own Oregon beaches when storms wash them ashore or into the chilly Pacific Ocean depths. Sadly, the team discovered two sea turtles after Solstice was admitted, on a local Oregon coast.
The organization has no immediate plans to send Solstice back to the wild, and if they contemplated the chance to do so in the future, they would have to receive permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Wildlife agency encourages anyone who sees a sea turtle on shore or in the chilly waters to call 800-452-7888. Please do not push the turtle into the water, as they need appropriate transport and care.
Photo credit:
Oregon Coast Aquarium