SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — Two sea turtles were released this week, with the help of Southampton city officials.
The City of Southampton's Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management participated in the release of two Kemp's Ridley sea turtles that had been rehabilitated from the cold, along with the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society on Tuesday.
The two cold-stunned Kemp's Ridley sea turtles were flown to Southampton from New England as part of a rescue and rehabilitation effort for cold-stunned sea turtles, officials said.
They were nursed back to good health by the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society at the sea turtle intensive care unit in Westhampton, officials said.
The Kemp's Ridley sea turtle is one of the most endangered sea turtles in the world and can be found on the US Fish and Wildlife Service's endangered species list, officials added.
Through an ongoing partnership between the city and the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, representatives of the city's public safety and emergency management, animal control, fire and neighborhood services departments were joined by a large crowd of spectators and supporters at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Ponquogue Beach to celebrate the release.
The city regularly works with the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society to respond to those stranded
and dead marine life, as well as providing marine mammal awareness training to staff, officials said.
Municipal Code Compliance and Emergency Management Administrator Ryan Murphy, who
helped carry one of the turtles to the release point on the beach, reflecting, “We are
I'm excited to be participating in what I've dubbed “Turtle Tuesday.” The staff at Atlantic Marine
The Conservation Society are great partners with the city and we are delighted to join them in celebrating their efforts and the release of these two turtles today.”
Southampton councilor Cyndi McNamara helped move the latter
tortoise. “It's amazing to be able to support the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society's conservation efforts to release these sea turtles back into the ocean. I'm honored to play a role today and continue to support the relationship between the city and the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society” , he said.
