KANSAS CITY, Mo. — SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium welcomed a new member into its family, marking a new chapter in the young sea turtle’s life and bringing a critically endangered species to the Heartland.
Kempsville, the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, joined the ever-growing roster of beautiful sea creatures at the local aquarium – after flying 1,000 miles from Baltimore to Kansas City on Monday. She has now solidified her name as Missouri’s only permanent resident Kemp’s ridley sea turtle.
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She earned her wings with the help of Turtles Fly Too, a nonprofit that helps transport endangered species, specifically sea turtles. According to SEA LIFE Kansas City, the organization has helped more than 4,000 turtles in the past 11 years, and its primary mission is to promote conservation through education and outreach.
Although flying is normal for many humans, it takes a whole team of specialists and a list of precautions to ensure sea turtles’ safe travels.
Each animal is accompanied by trained care professionals, then the enclosure is securely strapped to guarantee a safe ride. All aspects of the transport are carefully planned, and each animal is supervised to ensure they remain comfortable and secure.
Staff at SEA LIFE Kansas City preparing a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle to travel 1,000 miles from Baltimore to the KC metro.
Staff at SEA LIFE Kansas City preparing a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle to travel 1,000 miles from Baltimore to the KC metro.
But even though the flights are long and potentially stressful, Kempsville had already been through quite the journey before she was rescued off the coast of Virginia Beach in May 2023.
According to SEA LIFE Kansas City, the endangered turtle was found by the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center staff after she accidentally swallowed a fishing hook.
She then underwent a “dehooking procedure” and was taken to the National Aquarium for long-term rehabilitation in the event of lingering infections and malnutrition. This also included care for arthritis in her front flippers, which prevented her from passing a swim test.
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According to the US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), this meant Kempsville was not allowed to be returned to the ocean and would need to remain under human supervision. The USFWS then chose the KC metro as her forever home.
Now, Kempsville is able to share her amazing story with all her new friends in and outside of the aquarium.
SEA LIFE Kansas City is located at 2475 Grand Blvd. in Kansas City, Missouri. You can buy tickets to the aquarium here.
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