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Large, Rare Loggerhead Turtle Rescued On Truro Beach

A screenshot from a video taken by the Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary of people who helped load a large adult male loggerhead turtle in Truro for transport to the New England Aquarium.
A screenshot from a video taken by the Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary of people who helped load a large adult male loggerhead turtle in Truro for transport to the New England Aquarium.

Officials on Cape Cod have rescued a rare, 350-pound loggerhead turtle that was stranded on a beach.

The Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary shared a video on its Facebook page of the Friday afternoon rescue in the town of Truro.

The organization said public works officials helped load the large reptile into a truck before it was taken to the New England Aquarium's Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy.

The Boston-based aquarium said adult male loggerhead turtles are rare in Massachusetts, especially this early in the season.

“The turtle came in only minimally responsive and was not initiating breaths on his own,” the organization said in a Facebook post. “Our vets and biologists have been administering medication + replacement fluids to help stabilize the turtle.”

Connie Merigo, the aquarium’s Marine Animal Rescue Department Manager, told MassLive that the turtle is at least 30 years old and has multiple health problems, including breathing difficulties.

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