Cornell Wildlife Team Saved 150 Orphaned Baby Turtles

Cuteness alert! A wildlife team with Cornell University rescued approximately 150 baby turtles this summer and some were recently released into the wild.

The Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine received multiple injured, pregnant turtles between May and July. According to a press release from the college, the turtles were too injured to survive and could not deliver their babies on their own. Luckily, the team was able to rescue the babies, many of which were released last month after months of care. However, some of the turtles are not quite ready to make their debut in their natural habitat, so they'll stay at the hospital through the winter.

“When kept over the winter, the advantage is that they grow quickly and will be much bigger by spring, thus having a better head start when finally released in June,” Alice VanDeMark, one of the team's licensed veterinary technicians, said in the release.

The hospital urges drivers to keep an eye out for turtles crossing the road, especially in the spring and summer. If you happen to come across an injured turtle, bringing it to a hospital for healing can drastically increase its chance for survival.

"A turtle that’s injured should be safely captured and brought to a wildlife hospital or wildlife rehabilitator,” VanDeMark said in the release. “Turtles have an amazing ability to heal over a long time so they often have a good chance at survival.”

Learn more on the Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital's website.