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Sea Turtles Stranded in Delaware After Hurricane Dorian

Loggerhead Sea Turtle
creative commons
Loggerhead Sea Turtle

LEWES, Del. (AP) - Hurricane Dorian swept through New England over the weekend, forcing a higher than average number of animals ashore and stranding about six loggerhead sea turtles along a Delaware beach.

The Daily Times of Salisbury reports only one of the turtles stranded at Lewes Beach was found alive. The Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute says the female loggerhead estimated to weigh nearly 300 pounds (136 kilograms) has been taken to the National Aquarium in Baltimore for rehabilitation.

The executive director of the conservation nonprofit, Suzanne Thurman, says the turtle had a cracked shell that expanded with each breath, an injury believed to be caused by a boat propeller. The turtle also was underweight and had organisms including parasites living on its shell.

The turtle remains in critical condition at the Baltimore aquarium.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.