Two aquarists who work in Hull have travelled to America to help rescue critically endangered sea turtles along their migration route.
The volunteers traded their roles at The Deep aquarium for the New England aquarium, which looks after turtles who have been “cold-stunned” on their journey south to warmer waters.
Aquarist Shoshana Levine said: “They come in as little ice cubes, sometimes without a heartbeat, and can completely recover.”
The Deep said it was the seventh year that their volunteers had taken part in the conservation project, which involved several aquarium partners across the world.
Levine along with volunteer Gavin Clarke worked in temperatures as low as -25C (-13F) to rescue turtles stranded along miles of beaches in Cape Cod.
The Deep said the project started in response to the annual migration, which happens in autumn.
As the water temperature drops, sea turtles begin their journey south, but can be caught out by the sudden fluctuations.
The hook shape of the Cape Cod Bay traps the cold-stunned turtles which are then washed up on the beaches, according to the aquarium.
The volunteers rescued stranded species such as the critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, leatherback turtles, green turtles, and loggerhead turtles.
The Deep said survival rates for the rescued turtles were about 80-90% and that more than 470 of the creatures had been treated at the rescue centre.
Levine said: “I always love working with their incredible team and helping save turtles. I’m always amazed that the turtles are able to survive.”
Clarke said there had been a collective passion among staff.
He added: “It’s amazing to see the network of organisations that work together and share a common goal, to get all these turtles healthy and released.”
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