Eleven Kemp’s ridley sea turtles that were rehabilitated at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Second Chance Program, sponsored by Peoples, are returning to the Atlantic Ocean. The reptiles will be released on April 14 at a beach on the Florida coast.

The turtles were victims of cold stunning, a condition where marine reptiles cannot regulate their body temperature due to plummeting ocean temperatures. The animals grow weak and lethargic and are eventually unable to swim, which causes them to float at the surface or wash ashore. Exposure to the cold affects their circulation, organ function, and the immune system and can lead to skin, shell, and eye damage.

Twelve sea turtles were rescued in early December at Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and flown to the Zoo for rehabilitation. When the turtles arrived, they received a thorough head-to-tail examination and were treated immediately. “Some turtles simply need time, warmth, and supportive care, while others require more intensive treatment,” says Director of Animal Health Dr. Darren Docherty.

The turtles were all diagnosed with pneumonia and treated with antibiotics, vitamins, and fluids. With steady monitoring and adjustments to their care plans, the turtles slowly regained strength. One turtle, dubbed Trooper, continues to convalesce from a bone infection and will remain at the Zoo until it makes a full recovery. The Zoo will also transport eight rehabilitated turtles from Connecticut’s Mystic Aquarium to Florida for release with their Pittsburgh counterparts as part of the sea turtle rescue network.

The Second Chance program has been rescuing and rehabilitating cold-stunned sea turtles with the hope of rerelease for more than a decade. Nearly 100 turtles have been successfully returned to their natural habitats.

Follow along on the journey, updates from this sea turtle adventure will be available as stories on the Zoo’s Facebook and Instagram channels @pghzoo.