Riverhead Foundation Raising Funds For Winter Rehabilitation

Last winter brought an unusually high number of cold stunned sea turtles to beaches across the Northeast coast. The Riverhead Foundation’s Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Rescue Program took in a total of 87 sea turtles during the 2012 season. Nearly half were brought in because of cold stunning and the others were due to entanglement or injury. The Riverhead Foundation has released most of the turtles but 20 still remain at the rehabilitation facility.

The Foundation is gearing up for the upcoming winter season with a new campaign to raise critical funds for the recovery of the sea turtles that are currently at the facility, as well as for sea turtles that they will rescue and take care of during the 2013 season.

The approximate cost for the rehabilitation of one sea turtle is $15,000. They typically stay at the Foundation around 242 days, and the daily cost is approximately $62 per day. That includes medicine, food and other needs while at the recovery facility.

To raise funds, the Riverhead Foundation is holding the 16th Annual 5K Run for the Ridley on Saturday, October 26, 2013. You can also help save the sea turtles by donating to the Riverhead Foundation at www.razoo.com.

The Riverhead Foundation is located at 467 East Main Street in Riverhead. For more information call 631-369-9840 or visit www.riverheadfoundation.org.