Battered, bruised and more than 1,000 miles from its native waters, another Tropical Sea Turtle has washed up on an Oregon beach. This time it’s a young 48-pound Olive Ridley Turtle that probably hitched a ride on a warm El Nino current north from Mexico and suddenly found itself in the cold, frigid waters of the Pacific Northwest. The turtle was found at Bob Straub State Park near Pacific City in southern Tillamook Co. It was described as dehydrated and hypothermic. Its body temperature was 57-degrees, Turtles of this species normally have a temperature of 75. It also had very swollen and bloody eyes, possibly from tumbling in the surf when it came ashore. The turtle was taken to the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport in what officials describe as guarded condition. They will work to improve its health and when stable, transport it to a rehabilitation facility in California, which will eventually lead to its release back in its warm native waters. Normally, about one Sea Turtle a year shows up at the South Beach aquarium, but with El Nino this year, officials say they expect more.
