Two loggerhead sea turtles released by the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island are making their way south for the winter, equipped with satellite trackers so people can follow along on their journey. 

The aquarium has a sea turtle conservation project called the STAR Center, short for Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation, which rescues sick or stranded sea turtles from North Carolina beaches. 

What You Need To Know

  •  Two sea turtles released from a rescue center over the summer are heading south for the winter

  •  The turtles, Miss Piggy and Behemoth, were equipped with satellite trackers before they were released

  •  The two are loggerhead turtles, which can live for 70 years, growing to up to 3.5 feet and 350 pounds

  •  The aquarium has an interactive map so people can track the turtles' journey

Both turtles, Miss Piggy and Behemoth, were released last summer and have stayed in the waters off the Outer Banks for the past few months. Like many marine animals, loggerheads travel south for the winter in search of warmer waters. 

If released turtles don't begin their migration early enough, they are at risk of cold-stunning — a condition in which turtles become weak and lethargic due to cold water temperatures. 

Cold-stunning usually affects juvenile turtles and occurs when water temperatures fall below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Miss Piggy is an adult female loggerhead, which Amber Hitt, STAR Center manager, said they don't see as often. 

“Rehabilitating and releasing a turtle that could potentially contribute to the population in the near future brings additional depth to this rewarding job,” she said. 

Loggerhead sea turtles can live for 70 years, growing to up to 3.5 feet and 350 pounds.

All sea turtles, including loggerheads, are either endangered or threatened, due to loss of habitat, bycatch in commercial fishing, and plastic pollution in oceans.