SOURCE:
https://abc7ny.com/post/new-york-aquarium-releases-endangered-sea-turtle-back-ocean-months-long-rehabilitation/17454986/ (video coverage included)
By Liz Cho - August 6, 2025
CONEY ISLAND, Brooklyn (WABC) -- The New York Aquarium set an endangered sea turtle free on Wednesday after a successful rehabilitation, with a crowd in Coney Island cheering for the animal's return to his natural habitat.
The sea turtle, Elton, was recovered from a beach in Massachusetts in December, suffering from hypothermia. He was flown to West Hampton Beach and was nursed back to health by the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society. The society took this job particularly seriously given Elton's designation as a critically-endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle.
"This is one of seven species of sea turtles found worldwide," said the society's chief scientist, Rob DiGiovanni. "Four of them are found in New York, so when you think of how important this habitat is, we have a majority of the animals here."
Elton is the 91st sea turtle the society has released over the last five years, which they say underscores the importance of keeping oceans healthy.
"That's 91 more endangered species swimming around the ocean today, because these folks' care and funding is available," Adrienne Esposito of Citizens Campaign for the Environment said. "With those two ingredients, we can make a difference. We do make a difference."
Elton is returning not only to his natural habitat, but also to the friends, food and home it will bring him.
"They actually do have the ability to navigate," DiGiovanni said. "So we're pretty certain he's going to go hang out where other turtles are."
Leigh Clayton of the Wildlife Conservation Society's New York Aquarium explained how Elton will have the ability to get healthier and more comfortable now that he is back in the ocean.
"He'll be able to do the turtle equivalent of smelling the ocean, orienting toward food, finding food, then hopefully this time of year, gain some more weight and then slowly head south before temps drop again," Clayton said.
But Elton is certainly not being abandoned by those who worked so hard to take care of him. They will be able to track the newly-released sea turtle with an acoustic tag that he is now wearing.
Marine wildlife conservationists urge anyone who sees a stranded animal to call the state's Marine Rescue Center to report it. That way, like Elton, the animal can get the care it needs before returning home.
