An approximately 800-pound leatherback found washed ashore

An approximately 800-pound female leatherback sea turtle was found dead and washed ashore at Green Gate Lane beach in Wareham Friday, July 7.

Though this turtle may have been a bit of a shock for local beachgoers, loggerhead and leatherback turtle sightings are common this time of year.

In the last two months alone, six turtles were spotted along the coast between Wareham and Falmouth.

However, she is the first of the year to be identified as dead.

The turtle is suspected to have been struck by a vessel, but information is limited as she was on her back, shell-side down. 

If 800 pounds isn’t impressive enough, leatherbacks can weigh up to 1,500 pounds and reach a length of 8 feet, making them the largest sea turtles in the world.

So it was no surprise when Sea Turtle Stranding Coordinator Karen Dourdeville could not move the turtle to be examined.

The turtle was first spotted by a renter of Sherbie Worthen.

When Worthen saw one of the largest living reptiles washed up on her beach, she called the National Marine Life Center in Buzzards Bay who recommended she reach out to Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. 

Dourdeville responded to the call and arrived from Marion to address the situation.

Dourdeville said in her role, she and her colleagues have a U.S. Fish and Wildlife permit that allows them to help sea turtles which are federally protected. 

She added they are the mandated responders in Southeastern Massachusetts and the general public should not be handling these animals.

She said the turtle was found below the high-tide line and showed signs of decomposition.

Dourdeville marked the turtle with red stripes and attached a tag to alert others in the area that the situation has been responded to, but also to identify the turtle if she were to wash up on another beach.

Worthen said overnight the tide moved the turtle approximately 45 degrees.

Dourdeville said if the turtle is able to get itself off its back then she will return for further examination, but she doubts that is going to be the case for this turtle.

She said the winds are predicted to be light, so unless the winds pick up and the tide rises, all that is left is to let nature take its course.

Dourdeville said it is common for leatherback and loggerhead turtles to become struck by vessels and recommends boaters to use the sea turtle hotline. 

Boaters can visit seaturtlesightings.org or call 1-888-SEA-TURT (1-888-732-8878) to report any sea turtle sightings. Boats are also encouraged to use the website to be cautious of areas where a high density of sea turtles are shown on the website’s map.

Dourdeville said sea turtle sighting reports have begun to pick up in the last week and a half.

A few days following the initial sighting, the Harbor Master and crew towed the turtle from where she was to the end of Stony Point Dike, according to Worthen.

“There we hope she will be a food source for birds and other creatures,” she said.

Worthen added, “RIP Madam Leatherback.”