PINE KNOLL SHORES, N.C. (WNCT) — The Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is helping with over 200 cold-stunned sea turtles so they can be nursed back to health.

The turtles were rescued in different parts of North Carolina during December. The aquarium took in about 22 of the turtles and the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue in Surf City along with the NC Aquarium at Roanoke Island took in the rest.

Expanded STAR Center at NC Aquarium cares for more cold-stunned turtles

“They’re all endangered or threatened on some way. So just a small step that we can do to get them right back out there because our goal obviously is to let them live out their life, reach adulthood, get reproduction size and make more little sea turtles,” said Michele Lamping, aquarist and sea turtle specialists at the Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.

At least seven turtles from the Pine Knoll Shores aquarium have been returned to the ocean, officials said.