Stranded Sea Turtle Warms Up at Oregon Coast Aquarium

A stranded sea turtle named Solstice, found freezing in the frigid waters off the coast of Washington, is warming up and taking temporary shelter at the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport.

The female olive ridley sea turtle was rescued on the winter solstice, Dec. 21, after which she was named.

Olive ridleys are found only in warmer waters, including the southern Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, according to National Geographic, so rescuers thought it odd that Solstice was swimming in waters off the Long Beach Peninsula, as the Pacific Northwest has much colder water and is far north of this species' typical range.

Officials reported that two more sea turtles were found dead on the Oregon coast later in December. While these incidents are uncommon, Oregon Coast Aquarium spokeswoman Erin Paxton says that they can happen after storms, when warm currents carry these turtle further north.

"As that warm water dissipates into cold water in the Pacific Ocean, turtles get very hypothermic," Paxton told The Daily News.

When Solstice was found, her body temperature was only 60 degrees Fahrenheit (~16 degrees Celsius) - that's lower than the 75-degree Fahrenheit norm. Not to mention the troubled turtle was also dehydrated.

"Initial blood tests indicated that she had no sign of infection and is stronger than many turtles the Aquarium has received in the past," Jim Burke, the Aquarium's Director of Animal Husbandry, said in a statement.

So far Solstice is showing slight signs of improvement as caretakers nurture her with hydration bathes, fluids and practice swims.

The olive ridley turtle is named for the olive color of its heart-shaped shells. Along with the Kemp's ridley, it is one of the smallest of the sea turtles, with adults reaching only about two feet in length and weighing up to 100 pounds. These solitary sea turtles are known for their massive migrations, traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles each year.

Solstice's breed is the most abundant of all sea turtles, but the United States considers them threatened and considers some subpopulations endangered. Experts estimate that there are 800,000 nesting females worldwide.

There are certain protections of olive ridleys, however, female turtles are still slaughtered for their meat, skin and eggs. They are also often caught and killed in fishing nets.

Paxton says that they are not planning to release Solstice back in the wild just yet. They will need permission from the US Fish and Wildlife Service before releasing her into her natural habitat.

For more great nature science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).