During the winter spanning 2022 into 2023, Great Britain and Ireland experienced an unusually high number of turtles washed ashore. The Natural History Museum reports this memorable event as part of its ongoing marine monitoring program.
Researchers documented a total of 16 sea-dwellers, comprising 15 endangered caretta caretta turtles and one Atlantic ridley. Only four of these individuals survived the stranding. They were described as mostly juveniles or adults in distress, according to Rod Penrose, who leads the marine monitoring team.
While the full set of causes remains under study, scientists think that severe storms and strong ocean currents may have driven the animals into colder waters rather than their usual migratory paths. In British waters, leatherback turtles are the most familiar and notable species. They are the largest living turtles and possess a boneless outer shell. Leatherbacks typically appear in warmer months as part of their seasonal migration, when they move toward cooler waters off England in pursuit of jellyfish. These turtles are capable of tolerating cooler temperatures better than most sea turtles, aided by physiological adaptations that limit heat loss and help them conserve warmth in chilly seas.
Leatherbacks have a unique advantage: their bodies and behaviors allow them to swim efficiently in cold water to stay warm. They also regulate blood flow to conserve heat in exposed areas, a strategy not shared by many other species. As a result, this particular group can inhabit and traverse cooler marine zones with relative ease, which is why they are often found near British waters. In contrast, many other turtle species are less suited to cold ocean conditions and are less likely to survive in these environments for extended periods.
Other turtle species, including those that are far rarer like the Atlantic ridley, can be singled out as more vulnerable when cold currents reroute their migrations. These animals may become separated from their usual routes after encountering unanticipated weather patterns or shifts in oceanography. When turtles encounter water temperatures that fall toward the lower end of their tolerance, their physiological stress increases and their movement becomes sluggish. This state, sometimes described as a stunned condition, reduces their capacity to swim actively and leads them to drift toward shorelines rather than returning to the open sea.
Without timely intervention, stranded turtles face a perilous sequence. They can rapidly lose body heat and endure prolonged periods of starvation in a frigid environment, which ultimately jeopardizes their survival. The situation underscores the delicate balance that migratory reptiles maintain with ocean currents, water temperature, and food availability. Ongoing rescue and rehabilitation efforts rely on rapid response teams, public reporting, and coordinated action with wildlife authorities to stabilize and, where possible, release these animals back into suitable habitats after rehabilitation. The Natural History Museum notes that events like this prompt renewed attention to marine turtle conservation, climate-related shifts in distribution, and the need for robust monitoring of coastal ecosystems.