DENNIS, MA (WGGB/WSHM) – Ten sea turtles are back in open waters after being rehabilitated by staff at the New England Aquarium.

The facility said the six Kemp’s ridleys, two loggerheads, and two green sea turtles were released Wednesday evening off the coast of West Dennis into Nantucket Sound. The release marked their second beach release of the summer season.

The turtles were found stranded on beaches in several Cape towns between November and December 2025. For the last seven months, they were treated by staff at the aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy for conditions including pneumonia, dehydration, and trauma.

Loggerhead, green, and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are threatened or endangered and aquarium officials said the animals are facing threats including climate change, ocean pollution, and degradation of their habitats. Rescue and rehabilitation efforts, such as those that were conducted for these turtles, help to conserve these species.

All the turtles were equipped with a combination of satellite and acoustic tags, so researchers can collect data on the animals’ movements including behavior, habitat use, and survivorship

Nearly 500 live sea turtles were rescued from the shores of Cape Cod between November and December during the 2025 cold-stunning season. There are 19 turtles remaining at the Quincy facility, which will be released this summer once medically cleared by veterinarians.

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