PRESS RELEASE
Three rehabilitated sea turtles return to Atlantic Ocean as release season winds down
Turtles spent eight months undergoing treatment at the New England Aquarium
BOSTON, MASS. (Aug. 7, 2025) – The New England Aquarium returned three rehabilitated sea turtles to the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, as another successful release season winds down.
**PHOTOS AND VIDEO AVAILABLE HERE, WITH CREDIT TO THE NEW ENGLAND AQUARIUM**
The two Kemp’s ridley and one green sea turtle crawled into Nantucket Sound from West Dennis Beach on Thursday morning, as bystanders cheered them on. The turtles spent about eight months receiving care at the Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy, MA, after becoming “cold-stunned” and stranding on the shores of Cape Cod last year. The Aquarium treated 518 live sea turtles this past cold-stunning season, with 40 patients being released into Nantucket Sound over the course of the summer. There are two turtles remaining in the Aquarium’s care, which may require additional treatment at a secondary rehabilitation facility as the Rescue and Rehabilitation team shifts its focus to preparing for the upcoming sea turtle stranding season.
“As we say goodbye to the remaining sea turtles in our care, we are proud of the incredible work of our staff, interns, and volunteers who have dedicated themselves to ensuring these animals make it back to their ocean home,” said Adam Kennedy, Director of Rescue and Rehabilitation at the New England Aquarium.
From November to January, staff and volunteers with Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary walk the beaches along Cape Cod Bay searching for hypothermic turtles to rescue and transport to the Aquarium’s Quincy facility for medical care. The turtles are treated for life-threatening conditions including pneumonia, dehydration, bone infection, and sepsis.
One of the turtles released on Thursday, named “Cassandra” by Aquarium staff, was satellite tagged for post-release monitoring, which will give scientists with the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium the ability to collect valuable information about the turtle’s behavior, habitat use, and survivorship, which helps inform sea turtle conservation and protection efforts.
The turtles released on Thursday included:
- “Cassandra” (#228) – Green sea turtle
- Stranded on Nov. 29, 2024, in Wellfleet, MA
- “Gelos” (#547) – Kemp’s ridley sea turtle
- Stranded on Dec. 5, 2024, in Truro, MA
- “Gaia” (#686) – Kemp’s ridley sea turtle
- Stranded on Dec. 6, 2024, in Brewster, MA
MEDIA CONTACT: Pam Bechtold Snyder—617-686-5068; psnyder@neaq.org