A young Kemp’s ridley sea turtle named Boeier will soon return to her Gulf of Mexico home. After traveling thousands of miles from the Netherlands, she will be released on a Galveston beach. Rescued and rehabilitated abroad, Boeier's return marks a milestone in international conservation efforts to protect this endangered species.
Boeier, a young Kemp's ridley sea turtle, will return to the Gulf of Mexico this week. She will return to her natural waters on a Galveston beach after traveling hundreds of miles to the Netherlands.
Local fishermen found Boeier caught in fishing gear off the southwestern Netherlands last year. She was taken to the Rotterdam Zoo for minor injuries and a year of recovery. Boeier was flown across the Atlantic to Texas to be examined by the Houston Zoo's veterinarians after her recovery. Before launch, Boeier will be fitted with a tracking device by Texas A&M University's Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research.
“We’re thrilled that Boeier can rejoin the reproductive population,” said Texas Sea Turtle Coordinator Mary Kay Skoruppa. “Her return is vital to this endangered species’ recovery.” Monitor her voyage to learn more about Kemp's ridley turtles, especially those that travel far from their migration paths.
Gulf of Mexico-based Kemp's ridley turtles are critically endangered. Young turtles like Boeier can be carried across the Atlantic by powerful currents. Cold-stunned turtles on the U.S. East Coast have increased due to climate change, adding to the problems.
“Every individual counts,” Skoruppa said. Collaborations like this rescue and rehabilitate turtles and raise awareness of conservation initiatives.
Boeier's voyage is a testament to international conservation efforts and staff and volunteers' dedication to saving this endangered species.
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