VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A sea turtle found nearly unresponsive in the Lynnhanven River earlier this month is recovering, thanks to the Virginia Aquarium's Stranding Response Program.
Iliocostalis, a 66-pound loggerhead sea turtle, was found suffering from cold temperatures and pneumonia on Nov. 14 when he was rescued by a scientist with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, according to a news release from the Virginia Aquarium.
There has been an unusually high number of stranded sea turtles spotted this year, the aquarium said. Iliocostalis is one of 71 admitted to their rehabilitation program in 2022.
"The Stranding Response Team experienced a record-breaking hooked sea turtle season in 2022 and surpassed 300 total sea turtle strandings for the first time since 2006," the Virginia Aquarium's Darden Marine Animal Conservation Center said in a news release. "Of the 71 sea turtles that the Stranding Response Team admitted into rehabilitation this year, 50 have been successfully rehabilitated and released so far in 2022. Additionally, nine sea turtles were released in 2022 that were stranded in 2021."
If you see a sea turtle or other marine animal in distress, the Virginia Aquarium asks that you contact its Stranding Response Team at 757-385-7575.
