Officials look into dead turtle spike along Gulf Coast
WAVELAND, Miss. (AP) – Dead turtles have recently washed ashore along the Gulf Coast, and members of the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies are working find out why.
Even though it happened years ago, WLOX TV reports officials are trying to determine if the turtle deaths can be credited to the BP oil spill.
Wendy Hatchett, IMMS veterinarian technician, says since the oil spill, the numbers have been down.
Hatchett says the spike has officials concerned. She says whether its red tide or deaths left over from the oil spill, they really don’t have a clue until tissue can be analyzed.
So far this year 48 dead Kemps Ridley turtles have washed ashore across the Gulf Coast; including one turtle recovered Sunday and three on Saturday.
