Community Corner

Leatherback Sea Turtle Washes Up Dead in Montauk

Riverhead Foundation examined the carcass, but had to leave it behind on the shore.

A dead 700-pound leatherback sea turtle, which is an endangered species, has washed up on the shore in front of the in Montauk.

East Hampton Town Chief Harbormaster Ed Michels said the turtle came up on the shoreline on Friday and it remained there as of Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.

The Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation came out on Saturday to inspect it.

Find out what's happening in East Hamptonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Kim Durham, a rescue coordinator and biologist, said there are "prop slices" on its body, indicating some interaction with a boat. She said she could not say whether that was cause of death without conducting a necropsy.

One was not performed because the body is in a precarious spot, positioned at the bottom of a bulkhead on some rocks in front of the motel.

Find out what's happening in East Hamptonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

She said that towing it away was not feasible due to the location and that there was no access for heavy machinery to get onto the beach, like was done with the last month.

"It's a shame. I'd love to do a thorough examination," Durham said.

The carcass has started to smell. Jamie Carillo, an assistant manager at Sun n' Sound, said the sun was on it this morning and the odor was so bad the guests, homeowners down the beach, and hotels next to them were complaining. "It's just a shame" said Carillo.

George Faber, a co-op owner at Sun n' Sound, said authorities told him the tide will bring it out to sea eventually.

The turtle was still bleeding when it came in, according to Faber and Stephanie Stevens, a property manager. When it died exactly is not quite known.

"It's unfortunate that we had to leave it there, but we don't have the resources to move it. We only have the resources to go out and assist."

Still, biologists were able to do an external exam of the carcass on the beach, including gathering a piece of muscle for genetic testing.

The turtle, which measured about five-feet long and is estimated around 700 pounds, appears to be a female, based on the length of the tail, according to Durham. She also said they believe it was a mature sea turtle.

Durham said it's quite common for leatherback sea turtle spottings in Montauk in August and September; the foundation often gets word of about six turtles around the .

"They eat jellyfish and often come close to shore, which means they do have interactions with boats and we do see them with fishery entanglements."


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here