Newly hatched University of Delaware sea turtles headed to North Carolina for release

    Newly hatched sea turtles from the University of Delaware’s College of Earth, Ocean and Environment in Lewes are scheduled to make the trip to North Carolina to be released into the ocean.

    The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute made the announcement today that the six turtles would make the first leg of their trip Wednesday morning.

    This morning, three additional newly hatched sea turtles joined three others hatched on Sunday.

    The DNREC says at this time of the year, ocean temperatures off the Delaware coast are too cold, which is why the turtles will be taken to Morehead City, North Carolina to be released into warmer waters.

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    The six sea turtles will be joined by 180 unhatched eggs.

    According to the DNREC, the green sea turtle is protected as an endangered species in Delaware and as a threatened species federally.

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