LONGVIEW — A young sea turtle roughed up by chilly, choppy waters off the coast of Washington state is making a strong recovery in Oregon.
“Solstice” was found on the beach near the north end of the Long Beach Peninsula on Dec. 21, the winter solstice. The 40- to 50-pound female olive ridley turtle was dehydrated, and her body temperature was about 15 degrees below the typical 75 degrees.
Solstice’s caretakers are nurturing her with hydration baths, fluids and practice swims. Her body temperature has risen 12 degrees since she arrived at the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, Erin Paxton, a spokeswoman for the aquarium, told The Daily News of Longview.
Olive ridley turtles are typically found in tropical waters from Peru to California. During storms, warm currents sometimes carry sea turtles into the colder northern latitudes, Paxton said. As the warm water dissipates, the turtles get hypothermic.
“(She) is a very special patient,” Paxton said of Solstice. “(She’s) doing better than many other turtles we’ve received.”
Two sea turtles were found dead on the northern Oregon Coast on Dec. 24 and Dec. 29, and some marine biologists say it’s possible more may arrive.
Last summer, a live sea turtle was found near Florence, Oregon, but it was pushed out to sea by people on the beach, and the Oregon Coast Aquarium staff was unable to relocate it. Last fall, the aquarium staff unsuccessfully attempted to save a sea turtle beached near Lincoln City.
Paxton says the aquarium has in the past released sea turtles near San Diego. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must approve a release of Solstice, though no plans are set.
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