“Miss Piggy” the sea turtle hangs around the Outer Banks after her release in Buxton
On Tuesday, May 16, six sea turtles that had been treated at the Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation (STAR) Center at the NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island were released back into the ocean in Buxton, and one of them is apparently a fan of the Outer Banks area.
The released sea turtles included four green sea turtles, one juvenile Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, and one adult female loggerhead sea turtle known as “Miss Piggy,” who was also outfitted with a satellite so that her movements could be tracked in the weeks and months to come.
Since her release, the online satellite tracker has gone live, revealing that Miss Piggy has stayed close to Hatteras Island, venturing from Hatteras Inlet to Salvo in the past several weeks.
The STAR Center regularly collects and rehabilitates sea turtles that are found stranded along the Outer Banks beaches. While most of their turtle patients are cold-stunned sea turtles that are found in the wintertime, some might be victims of a fish hook, animal attack, or another injury that requires special care. When they have been rehabilitated, they are released back into the ocean, usually several months after they were admitted as patients.
Miss Piggy, a 209-pound loggerhead turtle, was found along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore on September 15, 2022, and was lethargic and anemic upon her arrival.
Once she was recovered and ready to go back to her ocean home, she was fitted with a satellite, which will continue to be shared on the Aquarium website if a strong signal is transmitted, and the satellite doesn’t become damaged or removed.
A DNA sample of Miss Piggy was also taken before her release, and this sample will be compared to DNA collected on nesting beaches from North Carolina to Georgia, to let researchers know if she nests successfully.
“We don’t normally see adult turtles in the STAR Center,” said Amber Hitt, STAR Center Manager, in an earlier press release. “Rehabilitating and releasing a turtle that could potentially contribute to the population in the near future brings additional depth to this rewarding job.”
The juvenile green and Kemp’s ridley turtles also received PIT tags, or small microchips, inserted into their flippers. These microchips can identify the turtles if they are encountered and scanned in the future, such as if they become stranded again, or are examined as part of an in-water research project.
In the meantime, the public can continue to keep track of Miss Piggy’s Outer Banks adventures as she enjoys an extended vacation along the Hatteras Island shoreline.
How You Can Help:
- The sea turtle nesting season officially began in mid-May, with the first nest of the season laid on Ocracoke Island on May 12. If you see turtle tracks, nesting activity, or hatchlings, please notify park biologists by calling 252-216-6892.
- For more information on N.E.S.T., which works with the STAR Center to find and rescue Hatteras Island sea turtles, visit http://www.nestonline.org/.
