Sea Turtle Release
With support from the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles (N.E.S.T.) and the crew of the Wanchese-based Phideaux, a 175-pound loggerhead sea turtle nicknamed “Cheese Curd” was recently released offshore after rehabilitation at the STAR Center at the Aquarium. Cheese Curd was one of many patients under the STAR Center’s care after a record-breaking cold-stun season on the Outer Banks. Between December and January, approximately 800 sea turtles were received by the STAR Center and nearly 600 have been rehabilitated and released into the warmer water of the Gulf Stream.
During the winter months, sea turtles that appear still or sluggish in the sound water or on a beach should not be pushed back into the water or moved. Instead, a sea turtle that appears to be in distress should be reported to the Sea Turtle Stranding Hotline via N.E.S.T. (Network for Endangered Sea Turtles) at 252-441-8622.
Sea turtles in North Carolina are protected by the Endangered Species Act and managed by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island operates under NCWRC Sea Turtle Permit #24ST46.
