Entangled leatherback sea turtle saved in Cape Cod Bay

BARNSTABLE, Mass. (WWLP) – A leatherback sea turtle was rescued after being found entangled in fishing gear.

Scientists from the New England Aquarium’s Animal Health team and Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation team along with trained responders from the Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) and the Barnstable Harbormaster worked to free the turtle in Cape Cod Bay.

“The turtle had a rope entanglement around the shoulder region of its right front flipper, but fortunately it was detected quickly and the gear was still loose with minimal damage to the flipper,” said Dr. Melissa Joblon, the Aquarium’s Director of Animal Health. “Overall, the turtle appeared healthy, active, and in great body condition, so we suspect it will do very well after release.”

The turtle, named ‘Phinney’, was estimated to be about 6 feet long (the shell measured just over 55 inches) and weigh around 400 pounds. After being unentangled the scientists conducted a physical and tagged the animal with satellite and acoustic tags for monitoring. You can follow Phinney using the New England Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Tracker .

A traditional satellite tag will monitor the turtle’s movements and dive behavior for up to a year. According to the New England Aquarium, the population of leatherbacks has declined 40% over the last three generations and the greatest danger is entanglement in fishing gear.

Anyone who sees the entanglement of whales, sea turtles, or other marine animals can report their sightings to the Center for Coastal Studies MAER team (1-800-900-3622) or the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF 16, and stand by the animal at a safe distance until trained responders arrive.

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Entangled leatherback sea turtle saved in Cape Cod Bay

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