This past week on the Texas coast, water temperatures dipped below 50 degrees and affected over 2,000 endangered sea turtles. Sea turtles that are „cold stunned“ may try and reach the surface to be warmed by the sun but our air temperature was below freezing.
Cold stunned turtles become very lethargic and are more susceptible to boat strikes, predators and even death from exposure.
This has become the largest cold stunning event ever recorded on the Texas coast, and we’re expecting another cold front this weekend.
We’re working together with state agencies, environmental organizations and volunteers to rescue cold stunned sea turtles. This has been an amazing and exhausting effort by many.
When the sea turtles are brought in from our bays, they are placed in bins and holding tanks in rescue centers where they are processed and monitored. When they have recovered and water temperatures return to normal, they can be released.
Our team in Galveston, Texas has been working throughout the weekend to help with this major cold stunning event, and we have processed the turtles by weighing, measuring, tagging and documenting them.
