Pancake, one of the world's rarest sea turtles, is swimming free again after nearly freezing to death

Pancake, a Kemp's ridley sea turtle—the world's most endangered sea turtle species—was rescued from a November 2025 cold-stunning event that affected 667 turtles, underwent eight months of rehabilitation at the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society facility, and was released back into the ocean on July 23, 2026, after regaining weight and swimming strength.