Cold temperatures and sea turtles do not mix. After the recent cold snap, there are at least 110 sea turtles currently being nursed to health at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island’s STAR (Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation) Center.
“When we do see the really drastic dips in temperature that really take the water temperature down fast, that’s when we start to see the higher numbers,” said Amber Hitt, manager of the STAR Center.
When temperatures drop to the 50s, sea turtles begin to be stunned by the cold and become lethargic. It also becomes difficult for them to breathe because it’s hard for them to hold their heads above water.
Network for Endangered Sea Turtles (N.E.S.T.)As they drift to shore, biologists with the National Park Service and volunteers with the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles (N.E.S.T.), rescue them and bring them to the STAR Center.
The turtles are examined closely and assigned to areas where they can warm up gradually. Some begin their journey in the Aquarium’s outdoor restrooms.