Regional and local media cover UNE preparations for release of loggerhead turtles

Regional and local media - including New England Cable News and the Portland Press Herald - on April 3, 2013 covered the UNE Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center's preparations for the transportation of five loggerhead turtles in a caravan down the East Coast from Maine to Florida, with pickup stops along the way in Boston and Baltimore. A total of 29 turtles will be released to the wild in Florida on Saturday.

The five turtles are the last of 14 loggerheads that spent up to four months recovering from severe hypothermia at UNE.  Of the 14 that were brought to MARC, 13 survived.

NECN reported that on Wednesday, every turtle was weighed, measured and biopsied. Then they were outfitted with tags; two on the rear flippers and a third microchip ID tag that will tell each turtle's story if it's ever located again.

NECN's Amy Sinclair explained that it's a lot of work rescuing the turtles, but critical for this threatened species survival.

"Their numbers are dwindling due to pollution, climate change, being entangled in fishing gear and loss of nesting habitat," said Kristen Patchett, the Center's Rehabilitation Coordinator. Animal Lab Technician Asheley Simpson was also interviewed.

In addition to NECN and the Portland Press Herald, media coverage included the Kennebec Journal, WCSH6, WLBZ2, WGME13, and WPRI. View the NECN video and the Press Herald story and video.

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The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.