SAN DIEGO -- Nearly seven dozen healthy sea turtles hatched recently at SeaWorld, the park announced Monday.

The 82 hatchlings, which arrived early last month, are the offspring of sea turtles that have been in the park's care for more than three decades.

"These recent hatchlings are exciting for us," said Thad Dirksen, curator of fishes at SeaWorld. "It's unusual to have sea turtles hatch in a zoological environment. And this time marked the first time we've done so without assisting the eggs through incubation."

Since the turtles cracked through their ping pong-sized eggs and emerged from their nests, starting on Oct. 5, park caregivers have fed them a diet of squid, krill, shrimp and special pellets.

SeaWorld officials said the baby turtles are in excellent health and will go on public display before the end of the year.