The turtle, discovered by a Chappaquiddick homeowner on Sept. 26, was heavily decomposed, but could have died by a ship strike.
Leatherback turtles
2024
2020
November 6, 2020
The decomposing carcass of a leatherback sea turtle with severe gashes indicative of a vessel strike was found washed up on Fuller street beach in Edgartown earlier this week.
September 15, 2020
A dead leatherback sea turtle with a severe vessel strike was found washed up on the eastern corner of West Chop Monday, experts at Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary confirmed.
2018
August 30, 2018
Sea turtle specialists have documented a high number of leatherback turtle boat strikes this summer, including at least one off the Vineyard.
2015
August 14, 2015
A team from Coast Guard Station Menemsha helped free a leatherback turtle entangled in fishing gear south of the Vineyard early Friday morning.
2012
August 20, 2012
A large dead leatherback turtle that was more than five and a half feet long washed up at Great Rock Bight beach on the north shore last Tuesday afternoon. The beach is owned by the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank. Land bank property foreman Matthew N. Dix said the New England Aquarium was contacted, but then the turtle washed back out into the Sound.
Mr. Dix speculated that the turtle may have been killed by a boat, as it had large gashes on it that could have come from a propeller.
