USA: Stranded sea turtles flown to Florida to warm up

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Rescued turtle on Florida Island Marathon: Stay up to one year

Photo by: Bob Care / Florida Keys News Bureau / AP

From Massachusetts to Florida: 40 sea turtles were brought to safety in the United States by flight.

In Florida, the hypothermic animals are nursed in a turtle hospital, as the clinic announced on its Facebook page.

The clinic announced that the reptiles are young Atlantic hybrid turtles that are threatened with extinction.

"They're warming up in the Florida Keys sunshine," wrote the Turtle Hospital.

The clinic released a video showing the animals swimming in a large pool.

The pictures also show how the animals are transported in large plastic boxes.

All fins pressed for the animals

Volunteer pilots reportedly flew the turtles over the weekend from the Cape Cod peninsula in the northeastern United States to the Florida Keys island chain.

The keepers were "cautiously optimistic," it said about the condition of the animals.

According to the US media, they should be treated in the clinic for at least a month.

Particularly seriously ill animals might have to stay there for up to a year, said director Bette Zirkelbach, according to CNN.

If the animals stay too long in cold water, it is dangerous for them.

It could cause them to stop eating and swimming.

But she hopes that everyone can return to the sea.

"All swim fins are down."

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Turtles flown by volunteer pilots: can weigh up to 45 kilograms

Photo by: Bob Care / Florida Keys News Bureau / AP

According to the competent authority, the Atlantic horse turtle is one of the smallest species of sea turtle.

Adult specimens therefore reach a size of around 60 centimeters and a weight of around 45 kilograms.

It is the most threatened species of sea turtles.

Humans are responsible for this: the turtles end up in nets as unwanted bycatch when fishing.

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apr / dpa