Happy World Turtle Day! Here are some facts about the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle, one of the species we help out here at Moody Gardens
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- Gulf Restoration Live Chat at the MG3D Theater on August 1
- Moody Gardens regretfully announces the passing of Ducky, the Giant Pacific Octopus
- Joining Forces for Conservation: Moody Gardens Partners with Ecology Project International and Pacuare Reserve
Experience Life at Moody Gardens, Galveston Island!
Work or play, the tropical splendor surrounds you in this little piece of paradise! Moody Gardens features a variety of unique attractions, a 4-diamond hotel, spa & convention center and an 18-hole seaside-links golf course.
Moody Gardens is a public, non-profit educational destination utilizing nature in the advancement of rehabilitation, conservation, recreation, and research.
I am so concerned about the tiny display cases used for your sea turtles. I am most familiar with the Ridley. The fact that this young animal is alone in such a small space concerns me and really ruined my visit to your beautiful facility. It is obviously stressed, swimming constantly against the glass, and certainly has no room to grow to adulthood.
I am hoping you will release it to the wild or find a spacious and appropriate space for the Ridley and the other turtles enclosed in similar spaces.
Thank you for your concern.
Hi Alexandra! Thank you for your concern. The turtles are short term rehabilitation cases that are being held here until they are ready to be released into the wild. They are being held under the NOAA NMFS Galveston sea turtle lab’s permit conditions and are in containers that are as big or larger than what similar turtles are held in at the Galveston Lab. By assisting NMFS with the rehab process, we provide valuable holding space, vet care and food to assist the overall sea turtle rehab process. We also provide a valuable resource in reaching hundreds of thousands of guests that would otherwise not see such a unique demonstration of 4 of the 5 species that are found in the Gulf of Mexico. They receive weekly inspections by NMFS personnel and we’ve been able to showcase dozens of specimens over the past several years that ultimately are released back to the wild. If you visit again, take a look at the informational signs we have next to them explaining this entire process.