The Aquarium rehabilitates and releases rescued sea turtles
Working in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service, the Aquarium of the Pacific’s veterinary staff members regularly help to rehabilitate ill or injured sea turtles for release back into the ocean. The Aquarium has cared for turtles since 2000, including green, olive ridley and loggerhead sea turtles.
The sea turtles the Aquarium has worked with have been found with buoyancy issues, tangled in fishing gear, or otherwise injured. The Aquarium’s veterinarian performs exams, tends to wounds, or performs surgeries as needed to rehabilitate the turtles. Then the veterinary staff keeps the animals under observation to ensure their complete recovery before they are scheduled for release.
In 2026, the Aquarium opened a sea turtle rehabilitation area at the Molina Animal Care Center. This area gives visitors the chance to see the rescued sea turtles as they go through rehabilitation with the goal of release to the wild. The space doubled the non-profit’s capacity for caring for stranded, sick, or injured sea turtles, so they have a chance to heal and return to their natural habitats. Read more about the area here.
All seven of the world’s sea turtle species are endangered. Many of the beaches, where sea turtles lay their eggs, are being lost or degraded due to coastal development, pollution, and a changing climate warming the sand to high temperatures.
The Aquarium of the Pacific and its staff are deeply committed to leading the way in setting new standards in compassionate animal care.
Join us, as your support of our conservation and education programs will help the Aquarium of the Pacific empower and inspire young ocean stewards and positively transform our oceans for generations to come.
The Aquarium was the first museum in the United States to certify its greenhouse gas emissions inventory. It has been a Climate Action Leader since 2007, reducing its emissions and carbon footprint by 50% since first reporting.
