The Brief
- Wildlife officials are racing to rescue hundreds of “cold-stunned” green sea turtles immobilized by plunging temperatures in Texas.
- The threatened turtles are being moved to rehab facilities after becoming trapped in shallow waters while searching for food.
- Public release dates are currently unconfirmed and depend entirely on how quickly coastal waters return to safe temperatures.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Wildlife officials and a network of volunteers raced against the clock to rescue hundreds of “cold-stunned” sea turtles from the shallow waters of the Laguna Madre as plunging temperatures threatened the already threatened species.
Texas sea turtle rescue
Big picture view:
Unlike mammals, sea turtles are ectothermic and cannot regulate their own body temperature. When water temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, these reptiles become hypothermic and lethargic, a condition known as cold stunning.
Unable to swim, the defenseless animals float to the surface, leaving them vulnerable to boat strikes, predators, or fatal shock. Many eventually wash ashore, stranded along the inlets and bays that border Padre Island National Seashore.…