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It's cold-stunned sea turtle season in Massachusetts. Here's what to know
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Happy Friday! The Patriots looked good and played good in their new "Nor'easter" jerseys last night against the New York Jets. The 27-14 win puts the revamped Pats at 9-2 for the season, which is currently the best record in all of the NFL. (We even saw the second coming of Tom Brady's comically oversized coat!)
Now to the news:
Shell shocked: Now that the Charles River alligator has been saved, local wildlife advocates can focus on rescuing another reptile: sea turtles. We're currently in the midst of cold-stunned turtle season in Massachusetts. That's the roughly six-week period (starting in November through mid January) that sea turtles from the Gulf of Mexico who came north for the summer get stuck in the chilly waters of Cape Cod Bay. And as WBUR's Dan Guzman reports, it's a worsening problem due to climate change.
- What's happening? The Gulf of Maine is getting warmer, which in turn attracts more turtles north. But on the way back south for the winter, the bended arm of Cape Cod can trap them in the Bay. And when the water temperatures drop below 55 degrees, they can become what's called "cold-stunned" and get stranded.
- How often does it happen? Mass Audubon Cape Cod science coordinator Mark Faherty said that 25 years ago, a big season was around 100 stranded turtles." Now we might see a hundred strand in a single day," he said. "We have to be prepared for maybe as many as 1,200 or 1,400 sea turtles stranding on Cape Cod Bay beaches over the course of about six weeks in November and December."
- What should you look for? Faherty says the strandings are occurring on Cape Cod Bay beaches between Barnstable and North Truro. It's mainly Kemp’s ridley, green and loggerhead sea turtles, which range "from smaller than a dinner plate to approximately manhole cover size," according to Mass Audubon.
- What can you do about it? If you're walking on the beach and come across a stranded turtle, Faherty says you should gently pick it up, move it above the high tide line (don't put it back in the water!) and cover it with seaweed (not sand). Then, call the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary (508-349-2615, Option 2) to get in touch with a team of volunteers who will come collect it. Watch this video for a peek inside the local sea turtle hospital where they're taken to be warmed up.
- The good news: Faherty said survival rate for cold-stunned turtles is now up to about 70%, thanks to these rescue efforts.
Downnnn by the riverrr: The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority is tabling a controversial plan to allow sewage to be dumped into the Charles River. The practice is currently allowed on an interim basis by state and federal environmental agencies. But the MWRA's Board of Directors was planning to vote to permanently allow it at its meeting next week — until a backlash erupted from advocates for continuing to clean up the river for recreational activities like sailing, kayaking and even swimming.
- Now what? MWRA spokesperson Sean Navin told WBUR's Barbara Moran that the plan will be "considered at a future board meeting after further information is gathered." The MWRA maintains that the plan would help it better manage heavier rainstorms anticipated with climate change.
Heads up, T riders: Green Line service north of Park Street resumed this morning after the recent nine-day diversion. But it's only a matter of hours before partial closures and shuttle buses descend on other parts of the MBTA system.
- Starting tonight at 8:30 p.m., the T is replacing Orange Line service between Back Bay and Forest Hills with shuttles. The diversion — which is part of the T's signal upgrade project — will last the entire weekend.
- Additionally, a nine-day partial closure of the Red Line begins this Saturday. From Nov. 15 through Nov. 23, shuttles will replace service between Braintree and North Quincy. The MBTA is strongly encouraging riders to instead take the commuter rail, which will be free between Braintree and South Station.
On Beacon Hill: The Massachusetts Senate passed its bill to prevent politically motivated book removals in local school libraries by a vote of 35-3 last night. As we went over yesterday, the bill would require school districts to have a policy on how library books are selected — as well as an extensive process for dealing with book challenges. We now wait to see whether the House takes up the bill.
- Meanwhile: The Senate is also planning to vote next week on a bill that would overhaul who oversees the Cannabis Control Commission — as well as double the individual recreational marijuana possession limit from 1 ounce to 2. WBUR's Chris Van Buskirk has the details here on the bill and how it differs from similar legislation passed by the House this past summer.
P.S.— Why did Boston federal Judge Mark Wolf resign after four decades on the bench? Take our Boston News Quiz and see if you know the answer.
