An endangered sea turtle will undergo surgery after being hooked by a fisherman in Slaughter Beach on Tuesday.
The Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute responded to the female Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, which had ingested the hook, according to a Facebook post from the Lewes-based nonprofit. They transported it to the Virginia Aquarium and Science Center, where it had surgery Wednesday.
“I’m happy to report surgery was successful,” MERR Executive Director Suzanne Thurman said. “Luckily, the hook was in the esophagus, so they could use a lesser version of anesthesia, which is dangerous for animals.”
The turtle, which was named “Stormy” by MERR workers, will stay at the aquarium for recovery and then be released, according to Thurman.
Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are “the most endangered sea turtle species worldwide,” MERR’s Facebook post said, and according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, bycatch is their biggest threat. Bycatch is the unintended capture of non-target species in fishing gear, such as in nets or, as in this case, on hooks.
“Luckily for the turtle, the fisherman took the turtle to the Dupont Nature Center and they helped to get the turtle to us,” the Facebook post said.
Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are the smallest species of sea turtle, and juveniles are sometimes found in the eastern North Atlantic, according to NOAA.
The Slaughter Beach turtle was a young turtle weighing less than 5 pounds, the post said.
“She has a challenging road ahead, but we are thankful to everyone who helped to look out for this turtle,” the post said. “We are hoping that she gets through surgery and can soon be returned to the wild to resume her life.”
MERR has been busy with sea turtles this summer. In June, they released three rehabilitated sea turtles into the ocean in Rehoboth Beach after transporting them from New York and Connecticut. Also last month, they were searching for a leatherback sea turtle entangled in fishing gear, spotted off the coast of Fenwick Island.
Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on Sussex County and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught
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