Turtles Moved to SeaWorld Orlando to Make Room for Oiled Animals

On Friday, June 25, SeaWorld Orlando received nine endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles that had been impacted by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The turtles had been receiving care at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies (IMMS) in Gulfport, Miss. for injuries related to fishing lines and hooks. The animals came to SeaWorld Orlando so the IMMS can make room for other animals in need of treatment due to the 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.

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.