"Lavender" is a Kemp's ridley sea turtle. Kemp's ridleys are the most critically endangered sea turtle in the world. Since admitting our first Kemp's ridley patient in 2005, NMLC has cared for 19 of this species.
Today is Endangered Species Day. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service observes Endangered Species Day “…in order to recognize the national conservation effort to protect our nation’s endangered species and their habitats.”
We’d like to recognize the 74 endangered and threatened species that the National Marine Life Center has cared for over the past six years. Our mission to rehabilitate marine animals is especially compelling when considering endangered species. The population numbers of endangered species are so low that every individual matters in that population. Each individual we can rehabilitate or headstart and release back into the wild helps their population recover.
Fletcher is a loggerhead sea turtle. Currently listed as "threatened", loggerheads' population numbers in the US have continued to decline and they are being proposed for uplisting to "endangered" status. Since accepting our first patient, "Eco", in 2004, NMLC has cared for 2 loggerheads.
Please donate to the National Marine Life Center and help us open our new marine animal hospital so we can save more endangered and threatened marine animals. Every gift matters. Thank you.
Northern red-bellied cooters are listed as "threatened" on the federal endangered species list and "endangered" at the state level. NMLC participates in a state-managed "head start" program that has increased hatchling survivability by over 90%. Because of our veterinary expertise, we are often asked to care for animals from the headstart program that need medical attention. Since becoming a partner in the head start program, NMLC has cared for 37 cooters.
Patty is a diamond-backed terrapin listed as "threatened" within Massachusetts. NMLC helps terrapin researchers by overwintering hatchlings and rehabilitating sick turtles. Since admitting our first diamond-backed terrapin in 2008, NMLC has cared for 16 terrapins.
