EUGENE, Ore. — A severely injured sea turtle with hypothermia was found near North Bend on Wednesday and taken into the care of rehabilitators Thursday at the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport.
The sea creature is an olive ridley sea turtle, a species of reptile, that beachgoers first saw Wednesday afternoon near Horsfall Beach, said Sally Compton, aquarium spokeswoman. The sea turtle was washed back to sea by rising tides, but located again by a determined family that combed the darken beach during low tide Wednesday night.
Oregon State Police troopers kept the sea turtle at an OSP office until Oregon Coast Aquarium workers came and retrieved it Thursday morning in Reedsport, Compton said. The aquarium is home to one of two sea turtle rehabilitation centers in the Pacific Northwest, and the only one in Oregon.
Compton noted that sea turtles are not found on beaches in Oregon and Washington unless stranded.
