The New England Aquarium released five rehabilitated Kemp’s ridley sea turtles off Cape Cod after about seven months of care for pneumonia, dehydration and trauma. The turtles received font‑themed names — including Times New Roman and Papyrus — and were fitted with tracking tags by scientists from the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life. Nearly 500 turtles were treated during the 2025 cold‑stunning season; 35 have been released so far this season.
Bon Voyage, Papyrus: Five Rehabilitated Kemp’s Ridley Turtles Return to Sea Off Cape Cod
A rehabilitated Kemp's ridley sea turtle named Gigi entering Nantucket Sound on July 22, 2026.
The New England Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy has returned five rehabilitated endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles to the Atlantic after roughly seven months of intensive care. Each animal received treatment for serious conditions such as pneumonia, dehydration and trauma before being cleared for release.
Release Details
Continuing a seasonal tradition, staff named this year’s rescued cohort using a fonts theme. A team from the Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life worked with rescue personnel to attach tracking tags to each turtle before release; the tags will record movement, habitat use and survivorship to inform future conservation efforts.
The released turtles are:
- Times New Roman (Turtle #512) — Named for the classic 1931 typeface; stranded December 3, 2025, in Dennis, Massachusetts.
- Papyrus (Turtle #579) — Bearing the name of a polarizing font; stranded December 5, 2025, in Wellfleet, Massachusetts.
- Gigi (Turtle #590) — Named after a chic typeface; stranded December 5, 2025, in Brewster, Massachusetts.
- Walter Turncoat (Turtle #644) — Named for a playful, hand‑drawn style font; stranded December 10, 2025, in Truro, Massachusetts.
- Punk Kid (Turtle #659) — Named for a grungy, stencil‑style font; stranded December 11, 2025, in Truro, Massachusetts.
“Our team tracks each turtle's progress closely and adjusts care as needed throughout recovery,” said Dr. Melissa Joblon, Director of Animal Health at the New England Aquarium. “These five turtles are now strong enough to survive entirely on their own in the wild. That's the goal every time.”
Context And Conservation Impact
During the 2025 cold‑stunning season the New England Aquarium treated nearly 500 live sea turtles, most of them Kemp’s ridleys rescued around Cape Cod from November through December by staff and volunteers from Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. As of this week, the Aquarium has released 35 turtles off Cape Cod this season. Several patients remain in care until medically cleared for release, and selected individuals will appear on the Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Tracker so the public can follow their journeys across the Atlantic.
This coordinated rescue, rehabilitation and tracking work helps researchers better understand juvenile Kemp’s ridley movements, survivorship and habitat use — information that is vital to protecting this endangered species.
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