Endangered green sea turtle rescued at Oregon’s Manzanita Beach

UPDATE: On Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2023, The Oregon Coast Aquarium announced the passing of the green sea turtle.

Staff from the Seaside Aquarium rescued a 22-pound endangered green sea turtle on Manzanita Beach on Saturday and transferred the female to the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

Seaside Aquarium staff dubbed the turtle “Squirt” and said they had high hopes that it would be OK.

Despite its comparatively small head, the green sea turtle is the largest hard-shelled turtle on Earth and found worldwide. They can reach up to 350 pounds and are green due their herbivore diet. Females reach maturity at 25 to 30 years and they live as long as 70 years.

The Seaside Aquarium detailed the plight of injured sea turtles in a press release:

“When found on the beach, it can be difficult to determine if a sea turtle is dead or alive. A turtle suffering from extreme hypothermia can be unresponsive to touch and have a heartbeat so slow and weak that it is difficult to detect. Most sea turtles found on Oregon and Washington shores do not survive, even if found and recovered quickly. Those that do live are taken to one of two licensed rehab facilities on the Northwest Coast; the Oregon Coast Aquarium or the Seattle Aquarium. When stabilized (which, if successful, can take up to a few weeks), the turtle is transferred to a center in California, where it will be released back into the wild.”

If you find a sea turtle on the beach, call the Marine Mammal Stranding Network at 1-866-767-6114.

–Mark Graves

Sources: Seaside Aquarium, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration