Go Wild for Kemp's Ridleys

A Ridley Big Deal 

Meet the smallest—and most endangered—sea turtle in the word.  

The Kemp’s ridleys that visit our waters are young turtles, most weighing just 5 to 10 pounds and small enough to fit in a banana box. Every fall, the shores of Cape Cod fill with cold-stunned, stranded turtles...and the heroes that rescue them.  

This month, as part of our yearlong celebration of wildlife, we’re keeping an eye out for these tiny turtles on the brink: the Kemp’s ridley.  

Why Massachusetts Matters to The World’s Most Endangered Sea Turtle 

Young Kemp’s ridleys spend the summer feeding in our northern waters. But when fall arrives, some don’t head south in time, and the hooked shape of Cape Cod blocks their way out. As reptiles, a sea turtles body temperature depends on the water around them, and once the water drops below 55°F, they get too chilled to swim or eat. This is called “cold-stunning”. Onshore winds then push the stunned turtles onto Cape Cod Bay beaches, mostly from November to mid-January. 

That puts Massachusetts at the front line of active recovery for this species. In the 2025-2026 season, 683 of the 822 turtles recovered were juvenile Kemp’s ridleys. By rescuing the young cold-stunned turtles, we can do our part in supporting their comeback. Learn more about last year's rescue season

Half a Century of Sea Turtle Rescues 

It started with one turtle. In the fall of 1974, Bob Prescott, now Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary Director Emeritus, found his first cold-stunned sea turtle on a Cape Cod beach. Fifty years later, Mass Audubon’s sea turtle rescue and research program has rescued or recovered more than 10,000 cold-stunned sea turtles. 

Today, Wellfleet Bay staff and more than 200 trained volunteers walk Cape Cod beaches day and night, often in freezing temperatures, to find stranded turtles. In partnership with the New England Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital and the National Marine Life Center for care, the turtles are stranded turtles are rehabilitated and, once healthy, head back to warmer waters. 

Found a Stranded Sea Turtle? Here’s What To Do  

1. Don’t assume it’s dead. Turtles that look lifeless are often still alive. 
2. Don’t put it back in the water. 
3. Gently move it above the high tide line, without grabbing its head or flippers. 
4. Cover it with seaweed, not sand. 
5. Mark the spot with something easy to see, like driftwood or a big arrow in the sand. 
6. Call the Wellfleet Bay hotline at 508-349-2615, option 2, and wait for instructions. 

Ways You Can Help Cape Cod Sea Turtles 

If you live near Cape Cod Bay and can walk beaches in November and December, join our rescue team. Volunteer

Find a stranded sea turtle? Call the Wellfleet Bay hotline to report it. Report sightings

Your gift powers each year’s rescue season, from beach patrols to transport. Donate

Become a member and support wildlife across Massachusetts all year long. Join