On the shore of the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia, passersby noticed a motionless sea turtle. Its eyes flickered slightly—and it became clear that it was alive. Thus began the story of Lucky, a young female Kemp's ridley, the rarest and most endangered species of sea turtle in the world.
Typically, these turtles inhabit the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. However, in recent years, currents, amplified by ocean warming, have increasingly carried them far to the north. When water temperatures drop below ten degrees Celsius, cold-blooded animals enter a state of cold shock: muscles fail, the heart slows down, and they cannot swim. Lucky was one of nine such turtles found in Atlantic Canada during the 2025-2026 season, and the only one that survived.
Local volunteers and specialists from the Canadian Sea Turtle Network quickly transported Lucky to a rehabilitation center. She was severely emaciated, with wounds on her shell and a bacterial infection. Gradual warming, antibiotics, and proper nutrition helped her gain almost double her weight. Later, the turtle was transferred to the Bahamas, where after quarantine and checks on her ability to dive and forage, she was released into the open ocean.
Similar incidents are becoming increasingly common. Twenty years ago, Massachusetts recorded about 140 cold shocks per year; now it's over seven hundred. In Canada, one or two turtles used to be found per season, but in recent years, up to seventeen. Scientists note that ocean warming is shifting usual migration routes, but the exact reasons why young turtles linger in dangerous shallows remain not fully understood.
Lucky's story demonstrates the importance of rapid response from local residents and coordination between countries. Without timely help, she would not have survived more than a couple of days. At the same time, the growing number of such incidents is a reminder that climate change affects even the most remote corners of the planet and requires joint efforts to conserve rare species.
Each successful return of a turtle to the sea is not only a victory over the cold but also a signal that attention to nature and readiness to act can change the outcome for an entire species.
