Two Rescued Sea Turtles Die Despite Oregon Aquarium's Efforts

PORTLAND, OR – Two olive ridley sea turtles, rescued just days apart off of the Oregon coast, have both died. The Oregon Coast Aquarium, where the turtles were being cared for, made the announcement on Monday afternoon.

Aquarium officials said that staff did their best to nurse the two turtles – both females – back to health.

Officials believe that severe cold-stunning played a role in both deaths.

Get all the latest information on what's happening in your community by signing up for Patch's newsletters and breaking news alerts

"The passing of the sea turtles had to be confirmed by rigor mortis, as a lack of response and heartbeat through a fetal doppler can confirm 'no sign of life,' but not death," said Oregon Coast Aquarium Curator of Fish and InvertebratesEvonne Mochon-Collura.

"As always with animals with sustained injuries, they have a lot of challenges through recovery. We submitted X-rays and blood samples for further analysis to determine her internal condition."

Both turtles will be examined to determine the exact cause of death.

The aquarium says that while the odds of a stranded sea turtle to recover are low, it has happened before – two were successfully rehabilitated in the fall of 2017 – and they will keep trying.

Aquarium officials say that if you encounter a stranded turtle on the beach, note its location, stay with it, and call the Oregon State Police Tipline at 800-452-7888 or the Marine Mammal Stranding Network in Oregon, Washington, and California at 1-866-767-6114.

Photo via Oregon Coast Aquarium.