The New England Aquarium in Boston has been treating cold-stunned turtles continuously for the last two weeks as temperatures drop before winter.
The aquarium said Monday that it has treated 153 turtles, with the first coming in on Nov. 18.
Cold stunning occurs when turtles become very weak and inactive due to exposure to cold temperatures. They generally become cold-stunned when water temperatures drop below 50 degrees.
While many turtles can swim to warmer water, these turtles become stranded.
The New England Aquarium said some of the turtles have dehydration and pneumonia, which are common symptoms of cold stunning. The turtles will be transferred to a rehab facility once they are no longer critically sick. They then can be returned to the wild.
The aquarium said this is not an unusual event, as it treated 700 turtles for cold stunning in 2021.
