Returning home: 31 endangered sea turtles rehabilitated, released in North Carolina after cold-stunning season
One by one, these Kemp's ridley sea turtles were taken by the tide after months of care facilitated by the New England Aquarium's Sea Turtle Hospital.
Every year, a certain number of these critically endangered sea turtles are unable to keep up with rapidly changing water temperatures and become hypothermic. The turtles are unable to move and wash up, becoming stranded on beaches in a phenomenon known as "cold-stunning."
Watch: Cold-stunned Iguana Tumbles From Miami Tree During Arctic Blast
Volunteers from Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary patrol local beaches looking for beached turtles to bring to the Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy, Massachusetts.
The aquarium said more than 500 live turtles came through its doors this past cold-stunning season, which began in November 2024 and continued into January 2025.
Of the 31 turtles that were released Monday, 25 were from the Quincy facility, and six others were driven down from the New York Marine Rescue Center on New York's Long Island.
"It is always incredible to watch these turtles become healthy again after being cold-stunned," said Sammi Chaves, a Rescue Biologist at the New England Aquarium. "The progress they make from when they first arrive at the New England Aquarium all the way to when they are released on the beach is amazing and really proves how resilient these animals are."
Dozens Of Sea Turtles Rescued From Florida Beaches Following Historic Winter Blast
The director of the rescue and rehabilitation program, Adam Kennedy, said in a news release that the number of sea turtle strandings has increased over the past decade.
The turtles were driven in temperature-controlled vehicles down to North Carolina, where water temperatures are now warm enough for the marine reptiles.
Community members and wildlife enthusiasts gathered along the beach to cheer on and encourage the turtles as they made their way back into the Atlantic.
The aquarium said 42 more turtles will be released off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the summer, once the waters of Nantucket Sound have warmed.Original article source: Returning home: 31 endangered sea turtles rehabilitated, released in North Carolina after cold-stunning season
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Boston Globe
25-07-2025
- Boston Globe
The other ‘Jaws effect': A wave of shark science and conservation
Write to us at . To subscribe, . TODAY'S STARTING POINT 'Jaws,' the iconic 1975 thriller about a giant great white shark that terrorizes a small New England island town, still gets a lot of praise. It made director Steven Spielberg's career, left behind a two-note theme synonymous with dread, and effectively invented the summer blockbuster. The novel that inspired it, by Peter Benchley, But 50 years on, the book and film have also been chum for critics. Shark-fishing tournaments Yet that definition of the Jaws effect is at best incomplete. The novel and the film also led to a surge of shark science and conservation efforts that have begun to protect the animals from both ignorance and overfishing. Advertisement Fear and fascination That a movie about a killer shark catalyzed legions of scientists to study the animals suggests a strange truth about human psychology: things that scare us can also become objects of deep allure. John Mandelman, a scientist at the New England Aquarium, is living proof. He had a 'Jaws'-themed cake at one early birthday and was 7 or 8 when he first saw the movie. 'I remember being scared by the scenes that were more grotesque,' he said. 'But I also remember being really mesmerized.' Advertisement Mandelman's obsession wasn't just the shark; it was that the shark had transfixed every other character in the film, whether out of scientific fascination or atavistic fear. 'That really sucked me in.' He eventually realized that interest could become his career. He's now the chief scientist of the aquarium's Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life and calls 'Jaws' a 'gateway drug' for colleagues who also followed it into marine biology or ocean conservation. 'Sometimes people look at fear and fascination as distinct,' he said. 'I think in this case they're incredibly related.' The movie, which airs regularly and birthed a series of less-beloved sequels, has stayed current enough to inspire Mandelman's younger colleagues, too. So have more recent depictions of sharks in popular culture, like Netflix documentaries, viral videos, and Discovery's annual 'Shark Week,' Others have had similar experiences. 'After 'Jaws,' Peter received hundreds, really thousands of letters from people from around the world saying that they were terrified of the movie, but what it did was it really fascinated them,' said Wendy Benchley, Peter's widow (he died in 2006). 'Yeah, it scared people. But boy did it really keep sharks on people's minds, including scientists'.' True, both novel and film took liberties. Real-life sharks don't single-mindedly and repeatedly choose to attack people. Peter Benchley later expressed regret for casting his novel's antagonist as a rogue man-eater. (He doesn't deserve all the blame; highly publicized attacks in the early 20th century Advertisement Mandelman can overlook those inaccuracies because scientists now know much more about sharks than they did before 'Jaws.' Back then, the Navy From understanding to conservation For the public, however, knowing more about sharks didn't immediately mean trying to protect them. In 2000, Peter Benchley Both Benchleys had long cared about the ocean. Peter encountered sharks while fishing with his dad off Nantucket; Wendy spent summers in seaside Stonington, Conn. After 'Jaws,' they witnessed garbage-filled seas and shark overfishing firsthand. 'It jumpstarted our interest to really work hard on ocean conservation,' Wendy said. Half a century later, those efforts show signs of paying off. Federally protected since 1997, white shark populations Threats remain, including overfishing and climate change, which is warming New England's waters, straining the sharks' habitats, and drawing them closer to land ( Advertisement Still, Wendy is hopeful that 'Jaws' will continue to inspire efforts to restore shark populations and learn more about them. 'I know it makes it harder for people to swim,' she said. 'But it's definitely making a healthier ocean.' 🧩 3 Down: 97° POINTS OF INTEREST A Waymo vehicle on Merchants Row in Boston this month. Craig F. 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( Israel-Hamas war: Israel and the US recalled their peace negotiators, accusing Hamas of being unwilling to reach a cease-fire. ( Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelensky pledged to protect government agencies that fight corruption, reversing himself after Ukrainians protested a bill he signed limiting the agencies' independence. ( VIEWPOINTS Failing the test: Massachusetts' fourth-grade reading scores could soon converge with Mississippi's. Why isn't that Disillusioned: Veronica J. White became a bar advocate believing that everyone deserves representation regardless of economic circumstances. Massachusetts Brave new world: AI is fracturing the student-teacher relationship. Using it lets students avoid learning and erodes teachers' trust that students aren't cheating, BESIDE THE POINT 🗓️ For your calendar: The Cambridge Jazz Festival, a Tennessee Williams prison drama that the playwright never got to see performed, and more 🥀 Green thumb: Climate change is altering the kinds of plants that can survive in gardens and yards. If you want yours to thrive, 🐍 Elusive: Conservationists feared that the world's smallest snake had gone extinct. They just proved themselves wrong. ( Advertisement 🥂 Dinner with Cupid: She's a medical student, he's in the Air Force. Will they find 🏠 Close to home: Thinking about downsizing? This company can help with the packing — 'Happy Gilmore': Adam Sandler's 1996 comedy ⛺ Beyond s'mores: Use these tips and recipes to Thanks for reading Starting Point. This newsletter was edited by ❓ Have a question for the team? Email us at ✍🏼 If someone sent you this newsletter, you can 📬 Delivered Monday through Friday. Ian Prasad Philbrick can be reached at
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Yahoo
Fireflies are hard to miss in Michigan. What to know as they light up backyards
Perhaps once collected in a jar or observed from the palm of your hand, fireflies are curious creatures that communicate via a yellow glow. They are especially chatty on hot summer nights. Fireflies (or lightning bugs) prefer hot and humid weather. They emerge when temperatures become warm typically around May or mid-June. Residents can expect to see more fireflies over the summer after a mild winter and a rainy spring, according to the Farmers' Almanac. At dusk or later in the night they become active creating quite the spectacle. Their ability to create light is credited to a process called bioluminescence. Fireflies can control the chemical reaction inside their light organ located in their lower abdomen. Species of jellyfish, shrimp, shark, squid and other marine animal share the same ability. According to NC State University, fireflies use bioluminescence to intimidate predators, attract a mate and even communicate. In North America, there are hundreds of firefly species with three main groups, called photinus, pyractomena and photuris, based on Mass Audubon, and they vary in size and even the color of their light. For example, pyractomena fireflies flash an amber color, while photinus flash a yellow-green. Though fireflies are frequent in Michigan this summer, their populations overall are threatened due to habitat loss and light pollution, according to Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. As fireflies continue to flash, sparkle and possibly inspire a child-like wonder, here's more on these species in Michigan: Why do fireflies light up? Fireflies communicate via flashes of their light to attract mates, deter predators or claim territory, according to Firefly Conservation and Research. Flashes are unique to firefly species, though the photinus carolinus fireflies flash in synchronization — a rare, temporary behavior that occurs during the summertime, and previously observed in many national parks. "Each species of firefly has its own pattern. Many fireflies look similar, so these flash patterns help to identify particular firefly species," Mass Audubon said. Both male and female fireflies have the ability to create light, though to tell them apart, males have a larger light organ covering two segments of their bodies, while females' light organs are typically smaller. Are fireflies a beetle? Yes, fireflies are beetles and they belong to the insect order called coleoptera and the insect family called Lampyridae — which means "to shine," in Greek, according to Michigan State University's Extension. Like other species of beetles, fireflies have two pairs of wings with a shell-like covering to protect their wings, so while they are flying, their shell is raised upward to let their wings flap freely. Do fireflies bite? No, fireflies do not bite or sting humans. However, they may become a nuisance if a few accidently enter your house. According to pest control company Orkin, to keep fireflies out of your home, remove or reduce outdoor lightning so they only have their bioluminescence to rely on. What do fireflies eat? Fireflies are a predatory beetle and eat other insects like snails, slugs or worms. They go through a lengthy life cycle (up to 3 years) and spend most of their life in the larval stage underground, and at this stage they are "eating machines," according to MSU's Extension. Not only do they have an appetite, but they have a fierce hunting strategy. According to Firefly Atlas, they inject a paralyzing neurotoxin into their prey then emit a digestive enzyme to liquefy them before eating. Why are firefly populations going down? According to Firefly Conservation and Research, the main factors disrupting firefly numbers are habitat loss and light pollution. "Scientists have observed that synchronous fireflies get out of synch for a few minutes after a car's headlights pass," the research-based organization said. "Light from homes, cars, stores, and streetlights may all make it difficult for fireflies to signal each other during mating — meaning fewer firefly larvae are born next season," the organization said." Here are a few ways to help steady their populations from your backyard: Turn off outdoor lighting Create a firefly habitat Avoid using pesticides or weed killers Plant native trees, like pine trees In addition, people may report their firefly sightings to help track their distribution nationally. Firefly Atlas, a conservation organization, features a tracker for members (after creating an account) to submit their sightings. Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@ This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Fireflies in Michigan: What to know about their glow, life cycle Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Yahoo
Mass. Paddleboarders Spot Fin in the Water and Flee. Photos Reveal They Were Feet Away from a Great White Shark
Two paddleboarders got up close and personal with a great white shark roughly 100 yards offshore of a Cape Cod beach Margaret Bowles and Maddie Cronin "hightailed it out of there" once they notice the shark's fin poking out of the water 'I've already gone swimming since then. I love the ocean," Bowles said of the close encounterTwo paddleboarders had an alarmingly close call with a large shark. Margaret Bowles and Maddie Cronin, two rising college sophomores, spent their July 4 paddleboarding off Stony Beach in Cape Cod, Mass., per Boston 25, 7 News, and The Boston Globe. Eager to capture the experience, the two women brought their phones with them and snapped some photos — a few of which show a great white shark's fin poking through the water's surface. Around 7:30 p.m., the two women were approximately 100 yards offshore, according to Boston 25. Cronin was taking photos of Bowles when she saw something pop out of the water close to her friend's board. "I see this eight-inch, fleshy, grey fin come up next to her," Bowles said, per the outlet. "I'm like, 'Oh my goodness, that's a shark!'" Cronin, who was holding Bowles' paddle while they took photos, tossed it back to her friend, and the two "hightailed it out of there," Bowles told The Boston Globe. Once the duo was back on land, their photos confirmed what they already knew: a shark was in the water beside them. Bowles and Cronin sent the images to the New England Aquarium and the Division of Marine Fisheries, both of which confirmed the fin belonged to a great white shark, per Boston 25 and 7 News. "It took a second to register that was what happened, but it was a complete surprise," Bowles said, per 7 News. "I've spent years teaching marine biology here and swimming in the ocean. I certainly never expected for a great while shark to wander my way." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Despite the close call, the women "kept our cool," they told the outlet, and even nicknamed the shark Steve. And Bowles isn't letting the shark sighting deter her from getting back in the water. "I've already gone swimming since then. I love the ocean," she told 7 News. Read the original article on People
