SeaWorld provides critical care for endangered Sea Turtles displaced by the Gulf Oil Spill

Today the animal care specialists at Seaworld Orlando took in nine endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles from a Gulfport Miss facility. Moving the animals to Central Florida will make room at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies for Sea Turtles injured in the current Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill. The turtles at SeaWorld are in stable condition and the goal is to return them back into the wild.

SeaWorld is one of the few organizations with the expertise to tend to the special needs of Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles. They are solitary animals and do not interact with each other and other turtle species. This made their trek to SeaWorld imperative as park aquarists have set up a triage area to accommodate the new patients.

Here’s a short video documenting the sea turtles arrival via plane and their assessment at Sea World.

The flight to Orlando was made possible by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.

SeaWorld is a global leader in the rescue and rehabilitation of sea turtles. The park’s Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation Team in on call 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.