After roughly two weeks back in the open ocean, Pancake the sea turtle is moving right along. The critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) was released back into the Atlantic Ocean from New York’s Coney Island on July 23, following seven months of rehabilitation.
According to the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Pancake was recently spotted in the South Shore Estuary Reserve bays off of Long Island. These protected bays provide juvenile Kemp’s ridley sea turtles with critical food and shelter, “making them an ideal place for young turtles to forage and grow.” The turtle has also explored the waters further south off of Sandy Hook, New Jersey.
Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are the smallest sea turtle species. They are found throughout the East Coast, from the south up towards New England. When fully grown, they can weigh 70 to 100 pounds and grow to two feet long.
The Massachusetts Audubon Society found Pancake suffering from cold stunning in Wellfleet, Massachusetts on November 22, 2025. Pancake was then brought to the New England Aquarium for triage and medical treatment. On December 3, Pancake and 24 other Kemp’s ridley sea turtles were transferred to the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMSEAS) sea turtle triage facility in Westhampton Beach, New York, for treatment and rehabilitation.
Pancake returns to the ocean
On July 23, an excited crowd gathered on the beach next to the Coney Island boardwalk to watch Pancake’s release. Onlookers cheered and waved homemade signs as Pancake confidently walked back into the ocean at 1:13 p.m. EDT.
Pancake is likely two to five years old and weighed 11 pounds at the time of release. Over his seven months in human care, the turtle showed confident swimming behavior, particularly while pursuing shrimp and clams. The turtle’s sex is unknown because that requires a blood test, which was not needed for rehabilitation.
