On simulating cold stunned turtle strandings on Cape Cod

Kemps ridley turtles were on the verge of extinction in the 1960s. While they have slowly recovered, they are still endangered. In the last few years, the number of strandings on Cape Cod Massachusetts beaches has increased by nearly an order of magnitude relative to preceding decades. This study uses a combination of ocean observations and a well-respected ocean model to investigate the causes and transport of cold-stunned animals in Cape Cod Bay. After validating the model using satellite-tracked drifters and local temperature moorings, ocean currents were examined in the Cape Cod Bay in an attempt to explain stranding locations as observed by volunteers and, for some years, backtracking was conducted to examine the potential source regions. The general finding, as expected, is that sub 10.5{degrees}C water temperatures in combination with persistent strong wind stress (>0.4Pa) will result in increased strandings along particular sections of the coast dependent on the wind direction. However, it is still uncertain where in the water column the majority of cold stunned turtles reside and, if many of them are on the surface, considerable more work will need to be done to incorporate the direct effects of wind and waves on the advective processes.