This Nov. 25, 2010 photo, provided by Don Lewis and Sue Wieber Nourse, shows a small Green Sea Turtle, one of several warm-water sea turtles rescued on the beach at Brewster, Mass., on Cape Cod. Most were suffering from hypothermia, dehydration and malnourishment, and are being cared for at the New England Aquarium's animal care center in Quincy, Mass. (AP Photo/Don Lewis) NO SALES
(AP) -- Seventeen rare sea turtles suffering a variety of ailments are recovering at the New England Aquarium after being rescued over the past two days off of Cape Cod, Mass.
The turtles rescued by volunteers with the Massachusetts Audubon Sanctuary at Wellfleet Bay are being cared for at the aquarium's new animal care center in Quincy. They eventually will be released back to the ocean.
Most of them are Kemp's ridley turtles and are suffering from hypothermia, dehydration and malnourishment. The turtles usually migrate to warmer waters in the winter, but aquarium officials say strong northwest winds Wednesday drove the turtles to shore.
Many had body temperatures in the 50s, when they should have been in the 70s.
An aquarium spokesman says it's unusual for the center to care for so many at one time.
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