DENNIS – Following a seven month period of rehabilitation at the New England Aquarium, a group of four loggerhead sea turtles were released Thursday back into the wild.
The event took place at West Dennis Beach.
The turtles had been brought into the aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy after being found cold stunned by staff and volunteers of Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.
Cold stunning is a phenomenon which occurs when sea turtles are exposed to cold water for extended periods of time.
The turtles were treated for a number of serious medical conditions such as pneumonia, hypothermia and bone fractures by the aquarium staff.
Staff veterinarians cleared the turtles for the return to their habitat after performing physical evaluations last month.
The aquarium will be using satellite and acoustic tags to trace the turtles movements as they work to study and protect ocean animals and their habitats.
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